Estonia
Platform Coordinator
EKÜL - The Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations is an independent organization that brings together over 1400 co-operative housing associations from all over Estonia. Each co-operative housing association is a self-financing non-for-profit organisation managing one multi apartment building. Our cooperative housing stock represents approximately 15% of the national co-operative housing stock. EKÜL represents Estonian co-operative housing associations on local, national and international level. Our partners are state institutions, municipalities, universities, private companies and NGOs.
Description of the Platform
The Estonian National POWER HOUSE Platform is led by EKÜL with involvement of The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Tallinn City Administration, The Credit and Export Guarantee Fund KredEx. EKÜL works in close collaboration with KredEx to encourage the take up of loans. The loans have low interest rate subsidies from the European Regional Development Fund and a loan from the Council of Europe Development Bank. As EKÜL members are volunteers without high-levels of training in building management, accessibly is a priority for all material delivered through the Platform.
Platform Strategy
“Home owners major needs in this field are for technical advice and financial support. Energy efficient ventilation, lighting and renewable energy are at the top of the list. The first major event organised within the Estonian POWER HOUSE platform was an event to promote the continued mobilisation of public funding, particularly the European Regional Development Fund. This was targeted at homes owners not only in Estonia but also in the Lithuania and Latvia. Moving forward EKYL see the need to develop the potential of the internet as a source of information on financial and technical issues as it is currently being underutilised.” - Ms Anu Sarnet, Estonian POWER HOUSE Platform coordinator.
Following a performance review, the Platform Coordinator has issued an updated strategy statement and priorities going forward:
“Knowledge and skills of members of apartment associations have improved during years and today the representatives of Cooperative Housing Associations are more trained and educated in energy efficiency issues than ever before. Still, there is constant need for information on innovative solutions for the refurbishment of apartment buildings due to the developments in this field. Financial barriers will remain, and this represents the main obstacle over the next 3 years. To overcome this barrier, EKYL will continue the cooperation with partners at national level with the aim to support schemes for energy saving with a long-term perspective. Over the next 3 years, different social issues regarding apartment associations will also rise: there is need for skills to achieve involvement of members of apartment associations in the decision-making process over energy refurbishment of apartment buildings. To overcome this need, EKYL will continue the dissemination program started in the framework of the POWER HOUSE EUROPE project.” - Ms Anu Sarnet, Estonian POWER HOUSE Platform coordinator.
