10.09.2026
Strong interest in energy renovation, but financial and organisational barriers remain
As part of the LIFE Renov-AID project, we conducted an online survey to better understand the current situation, needs and challenges related to building energy renovation in Slovenia. Responses from 174 property owners and 21 municipal representatives show considerable interest in renovation, but also reveal significant barriers, particularly high upfront costs, difficulties in finding reliable contractors and limited municipal capacities.
Homeowners want to renovate, but need support
As many as 57% of participating property owners live in buildings constructed before 1980. Almost 40% are considering energy renovation in the longer term, while 18% are already planning to renovate within the next one to two years. 43% consider themselves well informed about available subsidies.
However, turning intentions into actual renovation projects remains challenging. 60% of respondents identified insufficient financial resources and high upfront costs as a major barrier, while 48% reported difficulties in finding reliable and high-quality contractors. The findings indicate that financial incentives need to be complemented by accessible and impartial professional guidance throughout the renovation journey.
Municipalities recognise the need but lack capacity
Municipalities face similar challenges. They highlighted limited household financial resources, complex administrative procedures and fragmented ownership and decision-making in multi-apartment buildings among the main barriers to renovation. Staffing is a particularly significant constraint: none of the participating municipalities has at least one full-time employee dedicated exclusively to energy renovation, while 47% have no dedicated staff at all.
What kind of One-Stop Shops can municipalities implement?
One of Renov-AID’s key objectives is to develop local One-Stop Shops (OSS) providing homeowners with comprehensive, impartial and user-oriented renovation support. If municipalities were to introduce an OSS model within the next three years, 75% would opt for a basic advisory model, 25% for a broader renovation support model and 13% for a comprehensive implementation model. Political commitment also remains limited: only 15% of municipalities report active interest from their leadership, while in 46% the establishment of an OSS has not yet entered the local agenda.
Turning survey findings into practical support
The findings reinforce one of Renov-AID’s central premises: successful energy renovation requires more than financial incentives. Homeowners need a clear and well-supported pathway from the first advice to high-quality implementation, while municipalities need feasible support models that reflect their staffing and financial capacities.
During the next phase of Renov-AID, we will therefore focus on knowledge transfer, stronger local stakeholder networks and the development of practical OSS models adapted to different municipal contexts. The first workshop in this series will take place on 18 September at the International Trade and Business Fair (MOS) in Celje, bringing together municipalities, building managers and other stakeholders to identify practical solutions for higher-quality and more accessible energy renovations.