Translated using ChatGPT service.
For the second time, the Ministry of Economics, in cooperation with the European Economic and Social Committee's Transport, Energy, Infrastructure, and Information Society Specialized Section, is organizing a discussion to draw attention to housing availability, financing, innovation, and quality of life in housing. The forum "The Future of Smart, Energy-Efficient, and Affordable Housing" will take place on September 20 this year in Jūrmala.
The State Secretary of the Ministry of Economics, Edmunds Valantis, noted: "Fifteen years ago, we began a focused journey to improve energy efficiency in Latvian housing, offering the first support program for the renovation of apartment buildings. During this time, we have significantly expanded support opportunities, covering businesses, private homes, as well as state and municipal buildings, investing substantial funds in these measures. However, we still have a wide range of tasks to achieve the overall energy-saving and well-being goals. The availability of quality housing and the promotion of energy efficiency largely depends on the involvement of businesses, including ensuring the quality and effectiveness of energy efficiency measures."
The forum will bring together high-level experts from EU countries, the European Commission, and Latvia to discuss housing affordability and sustainability, financing for energy efficiency measures, innovation, and well-being. The event will be opened by Andris Kužnieks, Deputy Head of the European Commission Representation in Latvia, Edmunds Valantis, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economics, and Baiba Miltoviča, President of the European Economic and Social Committee's Transport, Energy, Infrastructure, and Information Society Section.
During the event, new partners will join the "Live Warmer" cooperation memorandum on energy efficiency, signed in 2010, agreeing on joint cooperation to achieve sustainable development and energy efficiency goals in energy, construction, and housing availability, promoting the growth of Latvia's economy and the well-being of its citizens.
"Housing affordability is an increasing challenge across the European Union. Therefore, we must take more active measures to improve housing availability. While several successful projects have been implemented with EU funding, the number remains insufficient. The right to housing is one of the core principles of European social rights, but more and more people are struggling to afford decent housing. We urgently need to find a new approach to address this growing social problem," emphasizes Baiba Miltoviča, President of the Transport, Energy, Infrastructure, and Information Society Specialized Section of the European Economic and Social Committee.
It is known that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made housing policy one of the priority issues, which aligns with the Latvian government's priorities—to promote the availability of modern housing for residents.
The opportunity to live in a quality, energy-efficient home at an affordable price is a basic need for residents. Moreover, housing provision significantly impacts economic development and the rise of national prosperity. It should be noted that the current housing stock is aging rapidly, while new projects are being developed at an insufficient scale—since the restoration of independence, only 4% of the total number of apartments in apartment buildings have been built in Latvia. The amount of private investment in apartment building construction in Latvia is not sufficient, and as a result, challenges in the housing sector are becoming more acute.
Paying increased attention to this issue, the European Commission plans, for the first time in history, to appoint an EU Housing Commissioner, whose task will be to develop and implement a plan to promote public and private investment in housing construction and renovation.
The forum "The Future of Smart, Energy-Efficient, and Affordable Housing" will take place on September 20 this year at the "Lielupe" hotel in Jūrmala. We invite representatives from municipal and state institutions, construction and energy sector companies, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and energy efficiency project implementers to participate in the forum to jointly discuss current issues related to promoting housing affordability and energy efficiency. The event agenda and registration form are available on the Ministry of Economics website. Due to safety requirements, event registration is mandatory.