Reconstruction grant Ida-Virumaa RRF

Complete reconstruction of apartment buildings enables an increase in energy efficiency, extends the lifespan of the building, enhances its value in the real estate market, and results in improved indoor climate. The grant is intended for associations and local municipalities located in Ida-Viru County who wish to partially or fully reconstruct their apartment buildings and thereby increase the building's energy efficiency rating by at least one energy efficiency class.

We opened the application round on 24 January 2023 at 9:00.
The volume of the fund in this round is 9,4 million euros.

On 28 April 2024, an amendment to the grant regulation entered into force, with which, among other things, energy audits were added to the list of supported activities and the grant limit was abolished. View the amended regulation here.

Basic conditions – complete reconstruction

• The works already completed do not have to be redone if the desired energy efficiency indicator can be achieved by other works.
• In the case of a complete renovation of a dwelling, support can only be requested for renovation works that are included in an appropriate main design.
• The applicant must enter into a contract with a technical consultant or a company through which the technical consultant provides a service, unless the applicant has not received any offers for reasons beyond its control. The contract between the technical consultant and the apartment association must be concluded at the latest by the time the application is submitted.
• Before the date of submission of the application for support to the EIS, the cost of the audit and construction survey of the construction project and the underlying building, as well as the cost resulting from the contract with a technical consultant if it was incurred as of 1 February 2020, are eligible.
• The works to be done with the help of the support must be completed no later than 1 February 2026.

Basic conditions – partial reconstruction

• In the case of partial reconstruction, individual works will be carried out as a result of which the energy performance indicator class of the building must increase by at least one.
• The requirement for a technical consultant does not apply to partial reconstruction, but if the service is used it is eligible.
• The works to be done with the help of the support must be completed no later than 1 February 2026.

Rate of support and maximum amount of support – complete reconstruction

• Support is granted in the case of 70% complete reconstruction.
• There is no grant limit amount.

Rate of support and maximum amount of support – partial reconstruction

• Support is granted in the case of 40% partial renovation.
• The amount of the support is not limited in the case of partial reconstruction.
• The volume of partial reconstruction support is up to 50% of the budget of the call for proposals.

Main requirements for the applicant – complete and partial reconstruction

• The following can apply for support:
  • apartment association
  • a municipality or a city, if the apartment building is owned in its entirety by a local authority.
• Applications aimed at the achievement of business objectives will not be accepted. At least 80% of the apartment ownerships in the apartment building must be owned by the local authority or at least five (5) different natural persons.
• The grant application must be submitted by the person with the right to represent the applicant.
• If there are up to five (5) apartment ownerships in an apartment building, each apartment ownership must have a different owner who is a natural person or at least one apartment ownership must be owned by the local authority.
• If the apartment building is owned by a local authority in its entirety, all the residential premises must be social or municipal residential premises of the local authority.

Supported activities – complete and partial reconstruction

• reconstruction and insulation of the façade and the design, manufacture and installation of the related elements prefabricated in a factory (hereinafter referred to as prefabricated elements) and related works;
• reconstruction and replacement of balconies and loggias, construction of balconies, installation of glazing and related works; reconstruction and insulation of the roof and ceiling roof, and related works;
• reconstruction and insulation of the roof and ceiling roof and the related design, manufacture and installation of the related prefabricated elements, and related works;
• replacement or renovation of windows, external and fire doors; and related works;
• basement reconstruction, insulation and related works;
• foundation reconstruction, insulation and related works;
• replacement, reconstruction and balancing of the heating system, replacement of the boiler room, preparation of the heating system balancing record and related works;
• the fee for connecting the building to the district heating network and the works associated with the connection within the boundaries of the property;
• installation, replacement or reconstruction of water supply and sewerage systems, including the construction and reconstruction of systems for the impregnation, use or runoff delay of rainwater, and related works;
• construction or renovation of a ventilation system with heat recovery, the preparation of a ventilation system survey report and the related works;
• construction of a cooling system or integration of a cooling unit into a central ventilation system;
• purchase and installation of equipment for local renewable energy use;
• partial or complete reconstruction of the lift control system and drive, or replacement of the lift and related works;
• replacement or reconstruction of the electrical system in public areas, including the installation of electric car charging infrastructure within the meaning of the Building Code and the provision of the possibility of switching the boiler room to external power supply, and related works;
• installation of a level of insulation of the windows in common areas and in the apartments and the restoration of the interior finishings resulting from the installation of heating, water, sewerage and ventilation systems;
• construction or installation of a ramp to provide access to and from the building, reconstruction of an anteroom, installation of handrails, installation of a disabled lift and construction of a lift complying with the EVS-EN 81-70 standard or equivalent requirements and related works;
• construction or renovation of a waste shed or the purchase and installation of a deep collection tank;
• construction or reconstruction of a bicycle park;
• purchase and installation of the equipment, other than equipment powered by fossil fuel, necessary to ensure fire safety and security of energy supply and related works;
• fee for connection to district heating;
• preparation of the building design and carrying out the underlying building survey and audit of the building;
• use of the service of a technical consultant for the renovation of the apartment building;
• exercise of owner supervision.
• preparation of an energy audit.

Before the date of submission of the application for support to the EIS, the cost of the audit and construction survey of the construction project and the underlying building, as well as the cost resulting from the contract with a technical consultant, are eligible (from 1 February 2020).

Costs of owner supervision are eligible if the owner supervision is carried out by a competent person as provided for in § 23 of the Building Code.

If, during reconstruction process, the beneficiary wants to modify the main design of the reconstruction works, the beneficiary is obliged to submit the modification of the main design and prove the compliance of the energy calculation done for the modified main design with the volume, quality and energy efficiency of the reconstruction works required to obtain the support.

Activities not supported – complete and partial reconstruction

• construction of fences and car parks on the property;
• the cost of installing a heating system using gas and other fossil fuels;
• VAT, unless it can be shown that the VAT is charged outside the Member State and that the state incurs costs as a result;
• the cost of building an extension, attic or basement and preparatory work for these activities, excluding the addition of a lift, balcony or canopy;
• other construction works not listed as eligible activities and not related to the improvement of the indoor climate of the dwelling, the reconstruction of external peripheral walls or heating systems, the installation of equipment for the use of renewable energy sources, and which do not guarantee the achievement of the energy efficiency indicator required to qualify for the support.

Result achieved by reconstruction works – complete reconstruction

When support for reconstruction works is received, the beneficiary must ensure that, as a result of the implementation of the project, all the following requirements are met:

• At least class C energy performance indicator (energy performance indicator EPI ≤150 kWh/(m²*y)) is achieved as a result of the renovation works.
• Reconstruct the central heating system so that it can be adjusted at least on apartment-basis and install thermostatic valves with limiters on the radiators, allowing the room temperature to be regulated between 18 and 23 degrees Celsius.
• Remove any gas water heaters or gas boilers connected to a natural draft chimney flue which is dependent on ambient air in the dwelling, except for gas water heaters or gas boilers which are independent of ambient air and have a sealed combustion chamber.
• Fully insulate and reconstruct exterior walls with a thermal transmittance of U≤0.20 W/(m²*K), whereby the requirement for thermal transmittance of the exterior wall does not apply to those parts of the exterior wall where it is not technically feasible to install insulation of the required thickness.
• Replace all old windows at the start of the project with windows that have an integrated thermal transmittance of U≤1.10 W/(m²*K) when installed.
• Install all windows level with the insulation or install additional insulation in the window jambs.
• As a result of the installation of windows level with insulation or additional insulation for window jambs, the calculated average linear thermal transmittance at the connection of the exterior wall and the window must be ≤0.05 W/(m*K).
• Insulate and reconstruct the roof with a thermal transmittance of U≤0.12 W/(m²*K).
• Install an intake and exhaust ventilation system with heat recovery serving all rooms in the apartments, or an exhaust ventilation system with heat recovery with a heat pump that ensures an equivalent indoor climate and is equipped with ambient air preheating and filtration devices such as fresh air radiators.
• When installing a ventilation unit, the heat recovery temperature ratio of the ventilation unit to be installed must be at least 70 per cent at the air flow rates specified in the building design.
• If an intermediate heat transfer medium is used for the heat recovery of the ventilation system, the heat recovery temperature ratio must be at least 50 per cent at the air flow rates specified in the building design.
• Ensure that the energy used for space heating, hot water and ventilation air heating in the heat assembly is separately measurable where appropriate heat consumers are present.
• Ensure that, when the heat pump is in operation, the electricity consumed by the heat pump and the heat produced by the heat pump are separately metered.
• Intake outdoor air flow rates of at least 10 l/s in bedrooms and living rooms at noise levels not exceeding 25 dB(A).
• Exhaust air flow rates in the toilet and washroom of 1-bedroom flats at least 10 l/s and in the kitchen at least 6 l/s, in the toilet and washroom of 2-bedroom flats at least 15 l/s and in the kitchen at least 8 l/s, in the toilet of 3-bedroom flats at least 10 l/s, in the washroom at least 15 l/s and in the kitchen at least 8 l/s.
• Inflow-exhaust ventilation devices must have an after-heater to ensure an inflow temperature of 18 degrees Celsius on the Celsius scale.
• Create the possibility of switching the heat assembly in a district-heated apartment building to external power supply.

If it becomes evident during the design, construction or measurement of the ventilation system that it is not possible to meet the exhaust air flow rate of some rooms for objective reasons, the requirement for exhaust air flow rates will be deemed to be met by achieving an air exchange rate of 0.5 1/h for the whole apartment, with this difference applying to up to 20% of the apartments in the apartment building.

Result achieved by reconstruction works – partial reconstruction

• In the case of partial reconstruction, individual works will be carried out as a result of which the energy performance indicator class of the building must increase by at least one.
• When carrying out individual works, the requirements for a complete renovation must be taken into account for the specific work (for example, when replacing windows only, the integrated thermal transmittance must be U≤1.10 W/(m²*K) when installed).
• Fresh air dampers must be installed in living rooms and bedrooms when insulating the external wall and/or replacing windows.

Obligations upon performance of procurement – complete reconstruction

The purchase procedure will be carried out in the electronic public procurement register as a purchase by the beneficiary of the grant (the appropriate type of procedure must be selected). The conditions and criteria used for the beneficiary’s purchase must only be the ones set out in Annex 1 to the Regulation.

• The beneficiary is obliged to comply with the Public Procurement Act when using the support if it is a contracting authority within the meaning of the Public Procurement Act.
• In the case of complete reconstruction, a beneficiary that is an apartment association must base its purchase procedure on Annex 1 to the Regulation.
• Two or more beneficiaries that are apartment associations may jointly organise the purchase procedure for the renovation works and design. In this case, the price quote must indicate the total cost of the works or services per apartment building. Each beneficiary will award a contract to the successful tenderer separately.
• The purchase procedure of a beneficiary that is an apartment association may include reconstruction works with design.
• A beneficiary that is an apartment association must provide for a reasonable period of time for the execution of the contract with the contractor of the reconstruction works, taking into account that the time needed for the preparation of the reconstruction works must not exceed six months, which will be added to the months needed for the execution of the reconstruction works when determining the term of the contract.
• A purchase by a beneficiary that is an apartment association (preparation of the building design documentation, service of technical consultant and owner supervision) that costs €60,000 or less, excluding VAT, must meet the following requirements:
  1) when ordering the service of a technical consultant, the forms and conditions published on the EIS website are used to set the evaluation criteria and to carry out the purchase;
  2) if the tenders for the services of owner supervision and a technical consultant are obtained as a joint tender, the cost of both services must be indicated separately in the tender.
• If, for reasons beyond its control, the person requesting the tenders is unable to receive two tenders, a justification to that effect and, where possible, notices of withdrawal from submission of a tender are given to the EIS.

Terms and conditions of the beneficiary's purchase procedure for complete reconstruction (Annex 1)

Please note that when requesting price quotes, it is important to make sure that the company operates in the respective sector in which the service for which the price quote is requested is provided

Obligations upon performance of procurement – partial reconstruction

The purchase procedure will be carried out through the electronic public procurement register if the estimated value of the works is at least €60,000 excluding VAT. If the estimated value of the purchase is less than €60,000 net of VAT, at least two comparative tenders must be invited to carry out the works. For the purchase of partial reconstruction works, only the conditions and criteria of the support set out in Annex 2 to the Regulation must be used, whether the works are ordered through the electronic public procurement register or by means of an invitation to tender. If the beneficiary’s purchase for a partial reconstruction is less than €60,000 excluding VAT, the beneficiary will use the invitation to tender form published on the website of the intermediate body.

• The beneficiary is obliged to comply with the Public Procurement Act when using the support if it is a contracting authority within the meaning of the Public Procurement Act.
• In the case of partial reconstruction, a beneficiary that is an apartment association must base its purchase procedure on Annex 2 to the Regulation.
• Two or more beneficiaries that are apartment associations may jointly organise the purchase procedure for the renovation works and design. In this case, the price quote must indicate the total cost of the works or services per apartment building. Each beneficiary will award a contract to the successful tenderer separately.
• The purchase procedure of a beneficiary that is an apartment association may include reconstruction works with design.
• A beneficiary that is an apartment association must provide for a reasonable period of time for the execution of the contract with the contractor of the reconstruction works, taking into account that the time needed for the preparation of the reconstruction works must not exceed six months, which will be added to the months needed for the execution of the reconstruction works when determining the term of the contract.
• If the estimated eligible cost of the purchase is less than €60,000 excluding VAT, the beneficiary is not obliged to use the Public Procurement Register. In this case, the beneficiary must ensure that price requests and the received tenders are at least in a format that can be reproduced in writing and that all communications relating to the purchase procedure are kept until the end of the retention period. A purchase by a beneficiary that is an apartment association that costs €60,000 or less, excluding VAT, must meet the following requirements:
  1) when ordering the service of a technical consultant, the forms and conditions published on the EIS website are used to set the evaluation criteria and to carry out the purchase;
  2) if the tenders for the services of owner supervision and a technical consultant are obtained as a joint tender, the cost of both services must be indicated separately in the tender;
• If, for reasons beyond its control, the person requesting the tenders is unable to receive two tenders, a justification to that effect and, where possible, notices of withdrawal from submission of a tender are given to the EIS.

Terms and conditions of the beneficiary's purchase procedure for partial reconstruction (Annex 2)

Please note that when requesting price quotes, it is important to make sure that the company operates in the respective sector in which the service for which the price quote is requested is provided.

Requirements for and list of technical consultants

The selection of the technical consultant must be based on § 3 of the Public Procurement Act, which primarily means that transparency, verifiability, equal treatment of tenderers, effective use of competition and avoiding conflicts of interest must be ensured.
Technical consultants provide their services in accordance with the Regulation, and the cooperative must verify the competence and compliance of the technical consultant before signing the contract in order to receive the support.
The list of technical consultants is informative and includes persons known to the grantor who have undergone training on the subjects set out in subsection 8 (1) of the Regulation and meet the requirements set out subsection (2) of the same section. When selecting a technical consultant, the association is obliged to check the competence of the person submitting the tender and his/her compliance with the requirements of subsections 8 (1) and (2) of the Regulation. If the technical consultant does not comply with the requirements or the selection process is in breach of the requirements of § 3 of the Public Procurement Act, the cost of the service is not subject to reimbursement.

A technical consultant is a person who is competent in the following areas:

• the requirements of this Regulation;
• use of the E-support Environment;
• use of the Building Register;
• carrying out the beneficiary’s purchasing procedure in the Public Procurement Register;
• fundamentals of managing an apartment association.

In addition to the requirements set out above, the technical consultant must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• at least three years of experience as a member of the management board of an apartment association;
• according to Annex 3 “Correlation table of curriculum groups and list of names of degrees granted in curriculum groups” to Government of the Republic Regulation No 62 of 11 July 2019 “Higher education standard”, a degree in a curriculum group in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction;
• energy auditor level 6 in the field of energy efficiency of buildings;
• statutory energy efficiency specialist level 7 in the field of energy efficiency of buildings;
• authorised energy efficiency specialist level 8 in the field of energy efficiency of buildings;
• apartment association manager level 4 in the field of property services;
• property manager level 4 or 5 in the field of property services;
• head of property management level 6 in the field of property services;
• construction manager, level 6;
• construction engineer, level 6;
• statutory construction engineer, level 7;
• authorised construction engineer, level 8;
• heating, ventilation and cooling engineer, level 6;
• statutory heating, ventilation and cooling engineer, level 7;
• authorised heating, ventilation and cooling engineer, level 8.

The technical consultant has to prove his/her compliance with the requirements when submitting the price quote for the technical consultancy service.

The technical consultant must provide an independent service. The technical consultant may not have any economic interest in undertakings from which tenders are requested for design and reconstruction works and which carry out such works and from which tenders are requested for the performance of owner supervision, unless the company performing the owner supervision has a technical consultant acting as a person referred to in clause 21 (1) 1) of the Building Code.

The technical consultant may not be a member of the management bodies of the legal entity that acts as the manager of the apartment association that is the applicant and the beneficiary or be in a contractual relationship with the legal entity that is the manager of this apartment association or the building manager appointed by the manager of the apartment association in the apartment association that applies for the support.
 

Tasks of the technical consultant

• The task of the technical consultant is to organise, in cooperation with the applicant and the beneficiary, the preparation of the construction design for the reconstruction of the building, the procurement of the relevant works and services and the coordination of the reconstruction works. The technical consultant must be involved at least in the preparation of the design purchase procedure until the end of the relevant procedure and in the coordination of the preparation of the building design, unless the building design has been ordered before the entry into force of the Regulation, and the preparation of the purchase procedure for the reconstruction works until the end of the relevant procedure.
• The technical consultant may carry out owner supervision within the scope of the same project if he/she is a competent person as provided for in § 23 of the Building Code and the tender for the owner supervision and the technical consultant’s services has been requested as a joint tender.

The cost of the technical consultant’s services is eligible if the applicant has contracted a qualified technical consultant or an undertaking through which the technical consultant provides the service and the service is provided in accordance with the requirements. The requirements do not apply to the cost of technical consultancy services:

• if the respective contract was concluded before the applicable regulation entered into force;
• if the applicant has not received any price quotes for the service of a technical consultant for reasons beyond its control.
   

The requirement for a technical consultant does not apply to partial reconstruction, but if the service is used it is eligible.

You will find the list of the persons who passed the in-service training for technical consultants of the apartment building reconstruction measure organised by the Tallinn University of Technology from 2022–2023 here.
 

You can find a sample technical consultancy contract here.
This technical consultancy service contract form is a sample and may be modified by the apartment association interested in applying for support according to its needs. It is important that the service contract reflects the activities to be carried out by the technical consultant as set out in the support regulation. In addition, the contract may also include other activities related to the process of reconstruction of the apartment building, if the apartment association deems it necessary (for example, assisting with the procedure for the use and occupancy notice or the authorisation for use, etc.). In order to create a service contract that meets the needs of the apartment association, the terms and conditions of the sample contract in this subsection need to be modified to meet the needs of the apartment association.
 

• Consultation at County Development Centres
• Apartment Association Reconstruction Cost Calculator

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