The UN Environment Programme (UN Environment) is supporting the Belgrade public authorities to improve energy efficiency of buildings and associated energy systems, as part of its role in the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) and District Energy in Cities (DES) Initiative under the Sustainable Energy for all (SE4ALL) Initiative. To support this undertaking, this report by BPIE outlines the renovation potential and approaches to increasing renovation activities in Belgrade.

Gas dependency is a concern for Serbia, with 71% of gas used imported. Buildings are one of the biggest consumers of energy, particularly for heating and cooling, and district heating is, to a large extent, supplied by gas.  Therefore, renovation of buildings to reduce the demand for gas is crucial for energy security. There are also employment benefits to be gained from an accelerated renovation programme, which would provide a welcome boost to the Serbian economy.

Using the available data, BPIE estimates the potential for renovation in Belgrade under three different scenarios, ranging from low/minor renovation to deep renovation, and considers a scenario focusing on renovating buildings connected to district heating system.

In the conclusions of the report, BPIE proposes five recommendations:

• Renovate public buildings as a first step
• Tackle buildings supplied by district heating
• Build capacity to tap into available existing funding streams
• Ensure quality and build up skills in the supply chain
• Raise awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency