Ralfi loan for energy efficiency household investments (Romania)

A EUR 7 million revolving loan was provided by BSTDB to Ralfi IFN (Garanti Consumer Finance), a Romanian non-bank financial institution, to finance energy efficiency, renewable energy and water-saving solutions for the Romanian residential housing sector. About 700 Romanian households will benefit from this loan facility.

Energy efficiency is among the priorities of the Juncker Plan for the European Union. Buildings account for about 40% of the EU final energy consumption. Given the low annual new build rate (1.5%), improving the energy efficiency of existing residential buildings is needed to comply with the new EC framework aiming for 40% Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) reduction target (75% in buildings) until 2030.

The facility is BSTDB’s first energy efficiency facility for residential buildings, targeting owners whose houses are of low energy class. It finances beneficiaries to carry out the most important interventions to improve the energy performance of their homes, while contributing to country's energy efficiency and environmental goals. The project will improve the quality of life of the citizens and will help them save more energy and cut CO2 emissions.

In addition to the positive environmental impact, refurbishing these homes and bringing them up to standard will contribute to employment creation due to the scale of the work undertaken.