The background for the creation of this support is that housing associations and housing cooperatives will receive help to get started with a green investment. Sustainability is a growing trend in the market for both companies and private individuals. Now Enova wants to expand this focus to also apply to the operation of larger buildings and properties.
Here we will take a closer look at what the support will be used for, what the survey will reveal, as well as what level of support you can expect upon implementation.
A survey of needs and measures
Since its inception in 2001, Enova has been a flagship in sustainability and energy optimization. They are currently working to drive forward Norway’s transition to a society with low emissions – a transition they are clear will require cuts in greenhouse gases, increasing technological development and innovation. Enova itself has been at the forefront of the development and implementation of new energy and climate technology.
For many companies and developers, adopting new technology always involves a risk, both when it comes to knowledge development but of course also the financial aspect. That is why Enova has created several different support schemes for companies, private individuals, housing associations and the like, so that they can adopt the technology without experiencing the same risk.
The mapping support for housing associations and housing cooperatives will help the boards to get an overview and control of their current energy consumption, opportunities for optimizing energy utilization and production of their own energy.
Through this awareness raising, it will often be revealed that energy consumption is greater than needed. Smart solutions can be used where this is appropriate, in order to make better use of energy. Climate and emissions of greenhouse gases are very important focus areas for Enova, and the mapping support will help to reduce this emission. When mapping possibilities for the production of own energy, this means all reuse or new production of energy that can be carried out in the building. These are often measures that utilize solar and wind energy, and which can account for much of the energy used in the building.
Concrete measures and plan for progress
The mapping shall subsequently provide the boards of housing associations and housing cooperatives with concrete recommendations and possible measures with associated technical solutions, costs for implementation and the short-term and long-term profitability of the implementation of the measures.
This means that if a very high energy consumption is discovered for lighting common areas, where this is not necessary, a technical solution that can limit consumption must be recommended. This can be as simple as installing motion sensors in stairwells and the like, so that consumption is cut during periods when the area is not in use.
In addition, the costs of introducing such a solution must be presented. Many housing associations have limited financial resources, which means that a predictable cost is easier to take on than to initiate a project without having access to information about cost.
The big advantage, however, lies in the next point, namely that information on profitability must be presented. If funds are limited, it is important to be sure that the investment you make will pay off – both in the short and long term. By getting a clear picture of how much you have the opportunity to save over a long period of time, you can make a well-considered choice.
In many cases, large improvement potential is revealed in larger buildings. Several measures for energy optimization will be possible to implement. For most people, it can be difficult to prioritize which measures are most important and should be tackled immediately, and which can wait. Therefore, together with the measures, a prioritized order must be presented.
If there are no opportunities to implement all of them immediately, this will give the board a way forward to continue the sustainable development in the years to come.
Concrete measures and plan for progress
The vast majority of housing associations and housing cooperatives can gain great value by taking control of their energy consumption. The mapping is a good step in the right direction, and can contribute to great profitability for the housing association. Enova has only put forward three conditions that must be met for it to be possible to apply for support and for support to be paid out:
- The applicant must be registered with an organization number in the Brønnøysund registers.
- The applicant can be either a housing association or a housing association.
- The application must be based on the housing association or housing association that is the applicant.
These are very open conditions that give the vast majority – if not all – housing associations in Norway the opportunity to apply for support. The degree of support you can get is also calculated based on some simple conditions that Enova has set up. We will look at these in more detail now.
What level of support can you expect?
The level of support you can expect from Enova will vary from project to project. However, Enova puts forward three conditions which together form the basis for assessing the level of support.
- Number of housing units in the buildings.
- The costs of carrying out mapping.
- The mapping must provide concrete recommendations as possible measures with associated technical solutions, costs and profitability. The order of the measures must also be recommended.
The number of housing units is a natural consideration when Enova is to calculate the level of support. The more housing units the building has, the greater potential for improvement they have. More housing units also lead to greater energy consumption, and pose a greater burden on the climate.
Where there is a large number of housing units, the costs for carrying out the mapping will also increase. If the costs are high, the pressure for implementation will also be great on the board. Therefore, it will also require a higher level of support for implementation.
This last point is a smart move by Enova. Upon completion of the survey, each housing association or housing association receives a number of measures recommended for implementation. If, by signing a contract, they choose to undertake to carry out these measures, Enova will be able to offer a higher level of support.
In this way, they make sure that the measures are implemented, at the same time that it pays off for the customer. All measures proposed after the survey will in the long run be profitable for the building, but several will not have the opportunity to implement them all immediately. Instead of the remaining measures being forgotten and hidden, Enova can follow up on implementation.
The maximum support level is set by Enova at between NOK 150,000 and NOK 525,000. If the building meets all the conditions and, in addition, undertakes to carry out the recommended measures, they can thus obtain solid support from Enova, and at the same time achieve very good results afterwards.
Innovative support scheme with a great future
As the support scheme from Enova was launched in February 2022, it is a relatively unknown offer as of today. As part of our customer group, we want you to have the opportunity to use this option as quickly as possible.
Further information about this support scheme is expected on an ongoing basis, and if you are curious, you can either contact us at Energihuset or see information on Enova’s website.
At Energihuset, you can receive advice from a multidisciplinary team of specialists, who have extensive experience with energy optimization and carrying out thorough analyses. We can help whether you are responsible for a housing association, housing association, or run a business.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or other inquiries.
