Djedovic Handanovic: Policy of energy awareness is smart policy

NOVI SAD - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Wednesday in Novi Sad the building construction sector was responsible for a large portion of energy consumption and harmful gas emissions and that investing in improved energy efficiency was important not only for resource conservation but also for reduction of costs for citizens and businesses.

"A policy of energy awareness is the smart policy, which is why the Government of Serbia is investing in programmes aimed at energy reconstruction of residential buildings and encouraging rational energy consumption," the minister said at the opening of International Energy and Investment Days, held on Wednesday and Thursday in collaboration with the Novi Sad Fair and with support from USAID.

She noted that a soon-to-be-finalised integrated national energy and climate plan set the goal of energy rehabilitation of around 1 pct of residential buildings, 3 pct of public buildings and around 2.3 pct of non-residential buildings a year by 2030.

"With the measures we are taking through subsidy programmes, we aim to rehabilitate around 130,000 households and around 1 mln sq m of public buildings by 2030," Djedovic Handanovic said.