Óbuda-Békásmegyer with its history of more than 2,000 years is currently the second most populated district of Budapest (126,000 citizens). Two thirds of the population live in very outdated, Soviet-type panel block houses built in the 1960s and 70s, when one of the most concentrated residential zone of the capital was constructed in the district.

The District City Council considers the renovation of such buildings a priority in its development programme and has a fund to contribute to complex energy efficiency reconstruction projects of such buildings. The Council also co-operates closely with the local district heating company Főtáv to renew heating systems in such block houses.

The Municipality of Óbuda-Békásmegyer joined the STACCATO project in 2005 together with Amsterdam Noord and Sofia Oborishte, as the third municipality to undertake a pilot programme to demonstrate sustainable technologies in renovation projects. Óbuda selected a centrally situated block house for the demonstration project, the so-called “Village Block” with its 884 flats (the building named after its more than 3,000 inhabitants, which easily makes up the population of a village), 43,500 square metres, 15 staircases.

The project is unique on national level as well, as it received matching funds from the EU, the Hungarian Government and our local municipality.

The preparation of the project took three years from 2006 to June 2009, during which time technical plans, financial plans and construction blueprints were prepared, and the public procurement procedure for the selection of the construction company took place. The renovation of the house took merely 6 months between July and December 2009.

Our project results:

• Complete insulation of the house, with insulation capacity exceeding the standards of newly constructed buildings.
• 1,800 outdated windows were replaced with new ones (5 chamber plastic windows).
• A solar collector system for the production of hot water was implemented on the roof of the building with 1,500 square metre and 1,128 MWh capacity.
• Increase in the value and living quality of the flats.
• Reduction of CO2 emission as a result of better energy efficiency and the application of renewable energy sources.
• 50% decrease in energy consumption is expected.
• www.faluhaz.eu

 Further objectives of the project:

• Sociological survey of the dwellers of the building, measuring project impact.
• Energy efficiency monitoring after completion of renovation.
• Organisation of seminars, conferences and trainings and awareness campaigns in the local and national media, to generate similar projects nationwide and serve as a pilot project for potential future project owners.

After this successful project Óbuda-Békásmegyer will take steps to raise awareness regarding energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources to promote climate friendly lifestyle in  the coming years.