From January 1, 2024, a requirement to design all new buildings as nearly zero-energy buildings will come into force in Bulgaria

A huge change awaits the real estate market starting from January 1, 2024. It is from this date that all residential buildings in Bulgaria, individual houses, cottages, administrative offices, business centers and social infrastructure facilities must be designed taking into account the requirement of nearly zero-energy consumption. The corresponding resolution was adopted by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of Bulgaria back in November 2022. Apart Estate experts will try to clarify what this requirement means and how its implementation will affect the real estate market.

The Regulation on Technical Requirements for the Energy Performance of Buildings, developed in November 2022 by the Ministry Regional Development and Public Works, is linked to the EU's ambitious goal of slowing global warming and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to various estimates, the construction of energy-efficient buildings will reduce air emissions by up to 80%.

The main requirement, the fulfillment of which will allow achieving this goal, is the construction of residential buildings, business centers, shopping and industrial premises, kindergartens, schools, and hospitals with near energy consumption.

This means that any new building must meet class A on the primary energy consumption scale. The definition of class is influenced by the shape, number of storeys, orientation of the building, climatic conditions, features of the internal microclimate, natural ventilation, materials used in construction, and the number of inhabitants.

The second condition for the construction of near zero-energy consumption is that at least 55% of the energy used for heating, ventilation, cooling, hot water, lighting, and electrical appliances must come from renewable sources. At the choice of designers and customers, these can be thermal pumps, solar panels, devices for using energy received from the building or near it.

The requirement on the use of renewable energy sources is quite easy to implement in the construction of individual houses, residential, social and administrative buildings. Solar panels are already installed on the roofs of many modern or renovated houses, and thermal pumps operate in apartments.

The situation is more complicated with buildings located in Bulgarian cities, where central heating is mainly used or which have a developed gas distribution network. In this case, a gradual transition to renewable energy sources is foreseen.

It is expected that thermal power plants, which are the main source of hot water and heating, must submit a plan according to which, by the end of 2027, a way of producing energy from renewable sources will be introduced. Therefore, even central heating will ultimately be connected to alternative energy sources, which should have a positive effect on reducing the greenhouse effect.

In the long term, the shift to designing energy-efficient buildings should have a positive impact on the economy and the environment. However, many are concerned about how this process will affect prices of property in Bulgaria.

Fulfilling requirements for thermal insulation, wall thickness, efficient layouts of flats and studio apartments in new buildings, as well as the installation of solar panels or other sources of renewable energy in the building design will lead to an increase in real estate prices. They will also grow due to the need to change standard project documentation, hiring and training of specialists.

On the other hand, various EU funds and banks are ready to provide loans to developers and mortgages to property buyers on more favorable terms. This can reduce the cost of apartments and make them more affordable.

Apart Estate real estate agency offers apartments in new buildings and renovated residential buildings that meet new energy consumption standards. To contact us, you can use telephone, email, instant messengers or the form on the website. Having received your request, we will prepare the best offer and help you buy an apartment that meets your wishes and modern standards.