In the New Green Savings, there will be 1.1 billion available this year

Prague - The New Green Savings Program (NZÚ) will have available 1.1 billion crowns this year. Grants for energy savings, insulation, and renovations are intended for owners of family houses throughout the country and residents of apartment buildings in Prague. The program will launch on April 1, said Environment Minister Richard Brabec (ANO) to ČTK. He mentioned that discussions are still ongoing regarding how much will be allocated to apartment buildings. According to some experts, just a billion is not enough; support for energy savings should be significantly higher.
    "Preliminarily, we plan to allocate a maximum of half a billion crowns for apartment buildings; the rest would go to family houses," said the minister.
    Last year, the program lasted nine months, and the State Environmental Fund received over six thousand applications amounting to 1.4 billion crowns. However, up to 1.9 billion crowns was prepared for applicants. Thus, about half a billion crowns was transferred to this year.
    The Association of Entrepreneurs in Construction in the Czech Republic has long pointed out that support in the first Green Savings Program was much higher. "We emphasize that there needs to be a shake-up in apartment construction and energy savings. There is also a moment of increased employment, economy, and performance in construction, so the volume should not go below two billion," said the association president Václav Matyáš to ČTK today.
    He also recalled the state's commitments to Brussels regarding energy savings and unutilized European subsidies. He considers the fact that up to half a billion was left over from last year a consequence of poor preparation and inability to manage the program. "The European Commission severely criticizes us in the conclusions on the absorption of European funds regarding how our programs, not only for energy savings but also in apartment construction, are uncoordinated and spread across several ministries," he asserts.
    According to the Alliance for Buildings, a billion is also insufficient and may be quickly exhausted. "However, we are glad about that. What matters to us are stable conditions. Over time, we would like a continuous program to be announced without annual calls," said the alliance's spokesperson Jan Charvát.
    According to Minister Brabec, the State Fund will continue this year in the trend of minimal bureaucratic burden. He promises a quick processing of documents for both application processing and subsidy disbursement within a matter of weeks. Applicants should know within three weeks whether they were successful with their application.
    Newly, any firm chosen by the owner can carry out the insulation of a family house. There will no longer be a mandatory list of supplier companies and recommended materials and products. Both will be merely inspirational. The options for selecting assessors will also expand, as not only energy auditors but also energy specialists, of which there are more, will be able to prepare assessments.
    A fundamental change is also anticipated by the ministry in the insulation support, or Support A. It will now be possible within the framework of insulation to obtain a grant for only partial elements, such as the replacement of windows or roofs. Thus, even those who do not have enough money at the moment but wish to invest at least partially in energy savings could receive a grant.