As part of its Sustainable Energy Action Plan, Alba Iulia municipality has set out to retrofit more than 2,000 apartments across 30 multi-apartment buildings, encompassing enhancements in insulation, upgrades to heating systems, and the integration of renewable energy solutions. With a population of 74,000, the city faces a significant energy poverty challenge — an estimated 30% of households in multi-apartment buildings face energy poverty, affecting mainly elderly and social cases. Governmental subsidies for natural gas and electricity, as well as local energy aids, are set to alleviate the situation for some affected households. Accelerating renovation not only contributes to social well-being and an improved quality of life for residents but also stimulates local economic development — a necessary step in the context of urban sustainability and decarbonisation targets.

The highest-priority pilot buildings were built around 1980 and have not benefited from any major thermal renovation to date, with cracks in their facades and roofs, typical communist construction of ground floor plus four levels, narrow staircases, and an average heated area of 50 square metres. More than 96% of residents own their apartments and carry the full burden of renovation investment, while between 20% and 30% of owners are in difficult financial situations. Renovation is implemented by the municipality under the Romanian Energy Efficiency Law, funded through the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan, the EU ERDF Centru Region Programme, and the national programme for improving energy performance of apartment blocks. After renovation, buildings typically move from energy class C or D to B or C, with heating energy demand reduced by up to 50%, the number of vulnerable energy consumers halved per building, and living comfort improved through better indoor temperatures and elimination of moisture and mold issues.