ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS – LEGISLATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA dr Miodrag Kova ćevi ć1, dr Ivan Tasi ć Technical College of Applied Sciences… [615842]

79

ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS –
LEGISLATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

dr Miodrag Kova ćevi ć1, dr Ivan Tasi ć

Technical College of Applied Sciences in Zrenjanin, Republic of Serbia
University of Novi Sad Technical Faculty "Mihajlo P upin" Zrenjanin, Republic of Serbia

ABSTRACT

The paper will present legal solutions in the Repu blic of Serbia related to the energy efficiency of
facilities in the sense of the Law on Energy and th e Law on Planning and Construction of Facilities of
the Republic of Serbia and applicable regulations a nd standards in the subject area. Special attention
will be paid to the preparation of documentation fo r the construction of new facilities, but legal
solutions will be presented to increase the energy efficiency (EE) of existing facilities. The energy
efficiency (EE) of projects for the construction of new facilities should be identified as a primary
objective and with the application of cost-effectiv e measures and methods for increasing energy
efficiency (EE) through the use of renewable energy sources (RES) and their application in facilities
or technical and technological systems that are bei ng built together with facilities lighting, water
supply, heating water, heating, cooling, ventilatio n and air conditioning systems, etc.).

1. INTRODUCTION

Increasing the quality of life and the development of new technologies has also increased
human energy needs, which are largely ensured by co mbustion of fossil fuels (oil, coal,
natural gas, etc.). For the needs of households in the Republic of Serbia, thermal energy is
mainly obtained by transforming the chemical energy of a fuel (combustion) into heat energy.
In coal-fired power plants, about 60% of total elec tricity is generated. The disadvantages of
using fossil fuels are their limited quantity, and accelerated consumption, while combustion
products significantly pollute the environment. In the process of vigorous oxidation of fossil
fuels as combustion products, water, carbon dioxide , hydrocarbons and other materials
contained in fuel appear, and they represent signif icant potentials in terms of pollution of the
environment, acid rain, and global warming. In orde r to solve these problems, the decisive
role may be to reduce the use of fossil fuels in th e process of obtaining other energy resources
that are used in households as well as in the indus try.

Measures that can significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels can be classified in several
areas:

1. education, informing and combining incentive mea sures by state authorities of the Republic
of Serbia, drafting laws, regulations and standards ;
2. the use of renewable energy sources to the maxim um extent possible;
3. development and use of new environmentally frien dly combustion and fuel technologies;
4. increasing energy efficiency and
4. energy saving measures. [1]

By applying these measures to the maximum possible extent, by combining them or by
determining the balance between the measures and re al needs, it is possible to achieve the

1Miodrag Kovacevic, Djordja Stratimirovica 23, 23 00 0 Zrenjanin, Republic of Serbia,
+ 381 63 564 125, [anonimizat]

80
rational effects of the degree of energy efficiency of the appropriate systems for energy use in
building and industry. One of the many systems that requires an increase in the rationalization
of energy consumption, given the enormous increase in the number of inhabitants, is also the
building sector. According to the report of the Eco nomic and Social Committee of the United
Nations states that the world's population from the current population of nearly 7.6 billion
increase to 8.6 billion by 2030, a number of people on Earth will rise to 9.8 billion by 2050
and about 11 , 2 billion by 2100. The number of peo ple on Earth every year increases by 83
million people. Such a trend will continue, despite the fact that since the 1960s, fertility has
been continuously decreasing.

The concept of energy efficiency implies a set of m easures that are undertaken in order to
reduce energy consumption, which does not undermine the working and living conditions. It
is necessary to conserve energy consumption to the minimum possible while maintaining or
increasing the level of comfort and comfort. It sho uld be noted that there is a significant
difference between energy efficiency and energy sav ing. Energy saving implies certain
disclaimers, while efficient use of energy leads to an increase in quality of life.

2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

The negotiations on the accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union,
which include 35 thematic Chapters, are under way, until April 2018, the Republic of Serbia
opened 12 out of 35 chapters. The screening process (Explanatory and Bilateral Screening)
began in September 2013 and was completed by the en d of March 2015. In the current
process of negotiation, it has been shown that in m any hapters Serbian legislation is largely in
line with EU legislation. The disadvantage is the a pplication of laws and accompanying
regulations in practice. For the Energy Chapter, a major problem will be the application of the
provisions of the Directive on the limitation of em issions of certain air pollutants from large
combustion plants and the Industrial Emissions Dire ctive, which additionally limits the
emissions of air pollutants from large thermal powe r plants. These provisions directly
condition the operation of some blocks of our therm al power plants, so it is necessary as soon
as possible to begin the reconstruction and moderni zation of these thermocouples. The biggest
problems are expected in Chapter no. 27 Environment where it is estimated that bringing this
area into harmony with EU law could result in costs of € 13-15 billion, which the Republic of
Serbia does not have to invest in addressing enviro nmental issues. In Chapter no. 15 Energy is
stated in the report on the conducted screening tha t it is necessary to make more efforts to
resolve the requirements in this area in the proces s of harmonization with EU legislation and
norms.

One of the strategic goals of the EU's energy poli cy until 2020, which promoted the
so-called policy 20-20-20, which implies: reducing CO 2 emissions by at least 20% in relation.
1990; increase of energy efficiency by 20%; raising the share of energy produced from
renewable energy sources to 20% in total energy con sumption in the EU. Realizing this policy
will be a major challenge for the Republic of Serbi a. Energy efficiency is our biggest energy
resource that we need to activate and which we have not yet started to use in an adequate way.
One of the good approaches for improving the energy efficiency of a state is the existence of
state coercion and certain incentive measures.

A typical example of the state's coercion is the N etherlands, where so-called voluntary
contracts were imposed in the 1970s after the oil c risis, which obliged companies to work on
energy efficiency. Volunteerism was just that there was a choice: either the obligation would

81
be signed that each year concrete investments in en ergy efficiency measures would be paid, or
a high tax on the use of energy would be paid. By c ombining this and other measures and by
rigorous control of the implementation of the presc ribed measures, it has been achieved that
the consumption of energy had a very slight increas e in relation to a significant increase in
national income. In many countries, legislation is enacted or envisaged, requiring citizens to
apply certain measures to improve energy efficiency , such as, for example, the measure of a
gradual ban on the use of hot bulbs in households f or the benefit of energy-efficient lamps.
The optimal development of the energy sector in the region of Southeastern Europe and the
Republic of Serbia within it, from the aspect of su stainability (which includes limited
sustainability in circumstances with natural disast ers, the impact of fire, floods, earthquakes
and similar disasters) should start from real needs , technological progress, as well as
economic and environmental limitations. Improvement and affirmation of the profession in
which energy connective tissue remains the basic ne ed. Through this interconnection of
intense energy needs and modern technologies (which , due to attractiveness, dominate over
conventional technologies) with sustainable develop ment, the energy sector remains equally
vital and profitable and current.

Energy Development Strategy of the Republic of Ser bia until 2025 with projections to
2030, is made by considering the existing structure of the energy sector and is based on the
energy balance of 2010 as the base year, assess the energy needs of the Republic of Serbia for
the period up to 2030, based on projections from th e Strategy and Policy Development of the
Republic of Serbia Industry from 2011 to 2020, avai lable energy resources, including the
potential of renewable energy sources (RES), popula tion reduction projections, the Spatial
Plan of the Republic of Serbia with respect to all obligations of the Republic of Serbia arising
from the Agreement on energy community.

In 2006, the Republic of Serbia became a member of the Energy Community by
ratifying the Agreement on its establishment in acc ordance with its main goals in the field of
energy – ensuring safe energy supply, increasing th e overall efficiency of the energy sector,
protecting the environment and developing renewable energy sources (RES), and the general
goal of joining the EU. Following the harmonization of time limits when applying the specific
provisions of the EU Directive in domestic legislat ion (Directive 2006/32 / EC, Directive
2010/31 / EU and Directive 2010/30 / EU) in domesti c legislation, the provisions of those
Directives are implemented in two laws Republic of Serbia:

1. Law on Efficient Use of Energy;
2. Law on Planning and Construction and
3. Through the accompanying by-law regulations and three Energy Efficiency Action Plans of
the Republic of Serbia.

In October 2015, at the meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community,
the Republic of Serbia has accepted the energy effi ciency obligations that apply to the EU, ie
the obligation to implement the new Directive 2012/ 27 / EU. Under this directive, the Energy
Community requires all members to adopt savings mec hanisms in distribution and retail
energy companies, to promote efficiency in heating and cooling systems as well as
cogeneration systems.

On the basis of previously defined goals and fulfi llment of assumed obligations under
the Treaty establishing the Energy Community, on th e proposal of the Ministry of Mining and
Energy, on 15 March 2013, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Law

82
on Efficient Use of Energy in the Republic of Serbi a. The main goal of the adopted law is to
provide a rational and sustainable use of energy, t hus contributing to more secure supply,
increasing the employment rate, the competitiveness of the economy and the environment.
The law introduces the Energy Management System (SE M) as one of the key mechanisms,
but it also predicts that all devices that directly or indirectly affect the energy consumption are
labeled during the placement on the market. In orde r to implement this legal solution deriving
from Directive 2010/30 / EU, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has adopted two
Regulations, and the Ministry of Mining and Energy has adopted nine regulations on the
labeling of energy efficiency of household applianc es.

Applying the First Action Plan for Energy Efficien cy in the period 2010-2012, savings
of around 81.5% of the planned savings have been ac hieved, which is satisfactory, bearing in
mind that the main mechanisms for achieving savings have not yet been legally adopted and
in force. The second action plan for the period 201 3-2015 predicted savings at the level of
3.5% of domestic final energy consumption in 2008 ( 0.2952 Mtoe). With this action plan, the
building sector has been recognized as one of the l argest energy consumers, and is therefore
expected to achieve 0.1387 Mtoe within the househol d sector and the public commercial
sector (where buildings are prevalent), representin g about 35% of the total planned savings
for 2015. By the conclusion of the Government of th e Republic of Serbia on 29 December
2016, the Third Action Plan for Energy Efficiency o f the Republic of Serbia for the period
2017 – 2018 was adopted. The Law on Planning and Co nstruction stipulates that buildings
depending on the type and purpose must be designed, constructed, used and maintained in a
way that ensures the prescribed energy properties, which are determined by issuing
certificates of energy properties of buildings, iss ued by an authorized organization, through
this law the provisions of Directive 2010/31EU on t he energy characteristics of buildings are
transferred to the legal system of the Republic of Serbia. That Directive 2010/31EU has been
implemented in detail through the following documen ts:

1. Regulations on the energy efficiency of buildin gs;
2. Regulations on the conditions, content and metho d of issuing certificates on the energy
properties of buildings;
3. Regulations on the conditions, program and metho d of passing the professional exam in
spatial and urban planning, preparation of technica l documentation and construction and
4. Regulations on the conditions and procedure for issuing and revoking the license for the
responsible urban planner, designer, contractor and responsible planner. [2]

According to the method of heating the buildings in the Republic of Serbia we can make
the following division: 26% of the total surface of the buildings is heated from the district
heating system and local boiler rooms with central heating (14% from the district heating
system and 12% from the local boiler rooms), 14% fr om the electricity system, 10% uses
natural gas as an energy source and about 50% of th e total surface uses for heating solid fuels
in local furnaces (coal, firewood, agricultural bio mass, waste, etc.). The average annual
specific energy consumption for buildings heated fr om the district heating system and local
boiler plants is as follows:

1. for residential buildings 171 kWh/m 2, and for non-residential buildings 194 kWh/m2 i
2. for the preparation of hot water in residential buildings 55 kWh/m 2, and in non-residential
buildings 12 kWh/m 2.

83
The average specific heat consumption for heating and hot water preparation in
residential and non-residential buildings is reduce d to 1 m2 of net residential area of 228
kWh/m 2. The average specific energy consumption for heati ng objects using other heating
methods is:

1. for electrically heated objects 130 kWh/m 2;
2. for natural-heated objects 230 kWh/m2 and
3. for buildings heated by local furnaces to solid fuel 57 kWh/m 2.

The number of households that heat on electricity i s about 15% of the total, and only for
heating is consumed 24% of the total electricity co nsumption in all households. The residual
electricity in households of 10,500 GWh is used for the following purposes:

1. lighting – 735 GWh (7%);
2. storage boilers – 2,145 GWh (23%);
3. cookers and food preparation equipment – 3,150 G Wh (30%);
4. washing machines and dishes – 893 GWh (8.5%);
5. refrigerators and freezers – 2,625 GWh (25%) i
6. for other needs – 952 GWh (6.5%).

The lag in energy efficiency in buildings in relat ion to European countries was
observed even in the early 1990s, confirming this c laim data on the average final energy
consumption of 138 kWh/m 2 in residential buildings in the EU for thermal pur poses. In
Denmark, in buildings connected to district heating systems, the specific heat consumption for
heating is 96 kWh/m 2, and in facilities using fuel oil or gas 131 kWh/m2 and 106 kWh/m 2. In
buildings built according to new regulations in Pol and where the climate is much sharper and
unfavorable than in Serbia, the specific energy con sumption is 90-120 kWh/m 2. In Sweden,
located in the north of Europe where winter tempera tures are extremely cold and long with a
longer heating season, average consumption is 120 k Wh/m 2, and in newer buildings with the
lowest energy consumption requirements of 60 – 80 k Wh/m 2. [4]

According to the Law on Efficient Use of Energy, t he obligation of local self-
government units (LGU) is to include in the tariff system for district heating services (as one
of the elements for calculating the price of heatin g) the measured or actually delivered
quantity of heat, and based on the Law on Energy Ar ticle 362), the Government of the
Republic of Serbia shall adopt a methodology for de termining the price of the end customer's
supply of heat energy. Accordingly, the Ministry of Mining and Energy has prepared and the
Government of the Republic of Serbia has passed a d ecree determining the methodology for
determining the price of the end customer's supply of heat energy.

In accordance with the Law on Efficient Use of Ener gy, minimum energy efficiency
requirements must be met by new and revitalized pla nts for the production of electricity and
heat, electricity transmission systems, that is, sy stems for the distribution of electricity and
heat, as well as systems for transport and distribu tion of natural gas, depending on the type
and strength of these plants, or the size of the sy stem.

84
Table 1: Basic data on centralized heat supply syst ems in the Republic of Serbia [3]
Data Unit of measure Quantity
Total number of apartments in the Republic of Serbi a – 2.943.401
Surface area in the Republic of Serbia m2 199.204.252
Number of apartments with central heating installat ions – 720.495
Number of apartments connected to the heating plant – 481.660
The total area of dwellings connected to the heatin g plant m2 28.143.552
Total area of other dwellings and business units
connected to the heating plant m2 8.852.993
Total area of apartments and business facilities
connected to the heating plant m2 36.996.485
The share of dwellings with central heating install ations
Compared to the total number of dwellings % 24,5
The share of dwellings connected to the heating
plant in relation to the total number of dwellings % 16
Number of heating plants – 292
Number of boilers – 660
Boiler capacity MW 5.506
Consumed power consumption MW 5.486
Annual fuel consumption toe 615.284
Length of the hot water network km 1.250
Total number of substations – 15.025
Number of substations in residential buildings – 9.484

3. CONCLUSIONS

In the building sector in the Republic of Serbia, most of the energy is spent on heating
the space, 24% of the final energy is consumed for heating. The consumption of heating
energy at the Serbian level is twice as low as the average for Europe, which is somewhat
expected if its geographical position is taken into account. Located in the south of Europe,
Serbia has far more favorable climatic conditions, shorter and milder winters than the
countries of northern Europe. Due to the extreme in efficiency in the consumption of heating
facilities in the Republic of Serbia, this segment of consumption should be urgent. The most
common reason is the worsening and energy inefficie ncy of the building envelope. With
concrete reasons for energy inefficiency, it is rel atively easy to determine the cost-
effectiveness of investments in possible ways of th eir rehabilitation, and the choice of the
appropriate solution for a particular facility alre ady leads to a higher quality energy
consumption for heating. Increasing energy efficien cy does not only lead to more rational
energy consumption. The impact on the environment i s equally important. Reduced emission
of harmful gases would create a healthier environme nt that would improve the quality of life.

References

[1] Mileti ć M., Luki ć N., Use of Final Energy in Households in Serbia, (2011), 42nd KGH Congress
[2] Handbook for Energy Managers for Building Energ y Sector, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ,
Belgrade, June 2017.
[3] Todorovi ć M., Ristanovi ć M., Efficient use of energy in buildings, Universi ty of Belgrade, 2015. Belgrade
[4] http://www.eea.europa.eu/