Old housing stock across Europe, including Romania, poses risks to safety and climate goals, prompting major renovation efforts.
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Europe faces a major challenge as much of its housing stock was built in post-war decades before energy efficiency and seismic safety standards were mandatory, with Romania serving as a prime example. In Romania, 64% of homes predate 1980, and the country is the third most seismically exposed EU nation after Greece and Italy, evidenced by the devastating 1977 earthquake. This issue is widespread across Europe; for instance, over 81% of buildings in Spain have poor energy ratings, and nearly a third of homes in France were built before 1949. To address this, various countries have launched ambitious renovation programs: Romania has allocated 2.8 billion lei for its “Renovation Wave,” Spain is using €3.42 billion from NextGenerationEU, and France has mobilized €6.7 billion. Despite significant funding, experts warn that the pace of renovation remains insufficient. Modernizing housing stock is deemed a necessity for economic, environmental, and public safety reasons, requiring governments to simplify bureaucracy and secure long-term citizen participation.
