Building of Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar enters green, digital transition

Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar officially opened the door of its National Training Center for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB), marking the completion of an eponymous project. The goal was to include and educate everyone involved in building renovation and, through a pilot action, show them the benefits of renovating buildings in accordance with the the nZEB standard.

One of the most important chapters in the field of energy efficiency and switching toward smart technologies in buildings has begun, Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar said as it inaugurated its nZEB training center. It is a platform for education and exchange of knowledge and experiences.

The institute’s building in Zagreb, Croatia, was used for the pilot action. In September 2023, at the start of the first education cycle, the first phase of the structure’s thorough makeover kicked off, aiming for the nZEB standard. Today it is a nearly zero-energy building, prepared for smart technologies.

Heating, cooling expenses slashed by 65%

A photovoltaic plant with an installed capacity of 50 kW has been mounted on the roof. It will provide 30% of the necessary energy for the new heating, cooling and lighting systems, which would cut heating and cooling energy costs by 65%, according to the Director of Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar, Dražen Jakšić.

“All technical systems were replaced and digitalized, and a new automation system was introduced, adjusting to space occupancy and comfort parameters such as temperature, CO2 concentration and humidity,” he stated. The new building management and automation system will enable the institute to monitor energy consumption and relevant factors, understand their correlation and conduct targeted analyses, Jakšić added.

Out of EUR 1.6 million EUR in grants, EUR 1.2 million was invested in the building renovation pilot action, and almost EUR 700,000 of own funds were additionally invested.

The next phase is for an EV charging station, batteries and heat pumps

“Due to the situation in the construction market, as well as the installation of certain elements that go beyond the project’s scope, the costs of the entire investment have increased. We learned a lot from our example. We also got better insight into administrative procedures and the real costs of a comprehensive renovation. We will continue with education in the nZEB training center, but also by promoting technologies for green and energy transition through strengthening support and the consulting services in that area”, the institute’s director explained.

The project’s next phase is to install a charging station for electric cars, a battery energy storage unit for electricity, and heat pumps for heating and cooling. The goal, he pointed out, is to get a zero-emissions building by 2030.

Erlić: Step forward in green transition as well as in setting new standards for buildings

The project and the institute are “a beacon of the green transition in Croatia,” Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds Šime Erlić said at the inauguration.

The technologically innovative, demanding and complex endeavor is a step forward in the green transition and setting new standards in building design and construction, in his view.

“Thanks to you and your knowledge, everyone who starts on that path can learn a lot. The institute answered how to think about the green transition and which way to go. Continue being a leader and going one step further,” Erlić said and thanked everyone who worked on the Energy and Climate Change program and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, within which the nZEB project was implemented.

Ambassador of Norway in Croatia Arne Sannes Bjørnstad reflected on the partnership with Nordic countries and emphasized that buildings are large consumers of energy and emitters of large amounts of carbon dioxide. “We need a different way of thinking about buildings, and smart buildings are an excellent example of a different way of thinking, but also of cooperation with all stakeholders. Our buildings in Norway are also energy producers, and this is something we must all strive for. I look forward to continued cooperation with this institute and the Government of the Republic of Croatia in developing new technologies and ways to improve the quality of buildings and make them smarter and, at the same time, energy producers,” the diplomat underscored.

Renovation goals for buildings imply 25,000 new jobs

Rector of the University of Zagreb Stjepan Lakušić said the nZEB project is an excellent combination of cooperation between the academic community and companies.

“We must remember that by 2030, we have to renovate 20 million square meters in residential buildings and 10 million square meters in non-residential buildings in such a way that they meet safety criteria. Even if we succeed in renovating all 30 million square meters, we need 25 thousand educated and trained employees to work in the said sector. We can only do through the cooperation of the academic community with companies. This training center is one of the development levers where exactly that is proven”, Lakušić concluded.

The three-year project Establishment of the National Training Center for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) secured, under the Energy and Climate Change program, EUR 1.6 million in grants from the Financial Mechanisms of the European Economic Area (EEA) for the period 2014-2021. The program manager is the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, and the Institute also plays the role of a program partner in Croatia. The institute’s partner was the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Zagreb.