RIGA, Nov 8 (LETA) - The government today adopted regulations on investments in improvement of municipal buildings and infrastructure, promoting transition to use of renewable energy resources and improving energy efficiency.

As the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry explained, in line with the European Commission's Renovation Wave initiative, energy consumed by buildings in the EU accounts for 40 percent of overall energy consumption, while renovation of energy efficient buildings is carried out just for 1 percent of buildings a year.

In order to achieve climate neutrality goals in the coming ten years in whole EU and Latvia, renovation of buildings should be at least doubled, ensuring energy efficiency of building and increasing resource efficiency. 

Renovation of buildings and use of renewable energy resources will also promote energy independence from imported energy resources.

One of the groups of the buildings that are in need of renovations is municipal buildings, the ministry said. 

The Recovery Fund financing available for investments is EUR 29,304,000.

It is planned that by December 31, 2025, energy consumption un municipal buildings and infrastructure will reduce by 4,544,563 kWh a year.