Construction companies want to push for higher subsidies for building insulation

Jihlava - The Association of Entrepreneurs in Construction in the Czech Republic is trying to advocate for an increase in subsidies for building renovations associated with thermal insulation. If approximately 12 billion crowns flowed annually into thermal insulation by 2020, 35,000 jobs could be created in the Czech Republic, said the association's vice-president Pavel Ševčík at today's press conference in Jihlava. He pointed out that from 2008 until now, construction production in the Czech Republic has been declining due to fewer contracts.
    "We don't want anything extraordinary, we just want a comprehensive long-term program that could be perhaps two and a half times higher than the current one," said Ševčík. Entrepreneurs in construction are trying to convince politicians of this at a time when the Czech Republic is preparing to draw European subsidies in the new programming period. According to builders, support for thermal insulation should be long-term and stable, as is the case in Germany, for example. They believe the program should ideally fall under one ministry and have uniform conditions without unnecessary bureaucracy.
    Ševčík stated that the volume of construction production in the Czech Republic has been decreasing since 2008. An annual subsidy of 12 billion CZK directed towards building renovations would mean an order volume for construction firms of around 35 to 40 billion CZK. According to Ševčík, this represents approximately one-tenth of their total annual turnover. "Thermal insulation is immensely socially appreciated; the proportion of employed people is larger than in other constructions," he added.
    In a program that would help households and institutions with energy-efficient renovations, it is possible to effectively utilize 80 to 100 billion CZK by 2020, the association states. According to the association's leadership, three-quarters of this amount will be provided by European funds in the upcoming programming period, which concern the renovation of public buildings and apartment houses. "The proposed allocation is roughly a third of what we would envision," noted Petr Holub, director of the Chance for Buildings alliance.
    Funds from emission allowances should flow into the New Green Savings program intended for family houses. The government already approved a program of the same name at the beginning of November, which should provide a total of 27 billion CZK in subsidies by 2020. According to Holub, this promise is sufficient, but the market for emission allowances could face several complications. "One needs to take this as a political issue and state that if revenues from emission allowances drop, it is necessary to finance it from elsewhere," he said. Otherwise, he warned, there could be a situation where the program does not open one year and construction firms will have to let go of newly hired workers.