THE CITY OF TALLINN PAYS SPECIAL ATTENTION TO INCREASE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS
In the draft of Tallinn’s next year’s city budget, a total of 41 million euros is planned for operating expenses and investments in the field of city property. The focus is on the development of municipal and social housing, supporting apartment associations and improving the energy efficiency of city-owned buildings.
Deputy Mayor Tanel Kiik said that Tallinn has set a goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030. “Tallinn’s climate plan envisages increasing the energy efficiency of municipal buildings as one of the measures to achieve this. Therefore, next year we are planning 2.8 million euros for updating the electrical and heating systems of buildings owned by the city and installing solar panels. Considering the rapid increase in energy prices, the economic victory that it gives the city, in the long run, is also very important,” Kiik said.
For many years, Tallinn has offered various subsidies to apartment associations in order to contribute to the improvement of both the living environment and the urban space. These activities will be continued next year as well. In addition, cooperatives are advised on increasing the energy efficiency of buildings: trainings are organized and supporting materials are prepared on climate change-related risks and opportunities to deal with them.
In order to create new housing for persons registered as housing applicants, the design of a municipal building at Tammsaare tee 135 in Mustamäe and two social houses at Vasara street in North Tallinn will continue. A total of 207,000 euros has been earmarked for this purpose.
Also, in 2023, the modular renovation pilot project that started already this year will be continued, during which the facade and technical systems of the residential building located at Energia 13 will be reconstructed. In next year’s budget, nearly 700,000 euros have been planned for these works.
An additional 1.7 million euros is planned for the field of urban property, which can be used to cover small-scale works in many buildings owned by the city.
Tallinn’s 2023 budget must be approved by the city council. The draft of next year’s city budget sent to the council has a total amount of 1.14 billion euros, which is 66.5 million euros or 6.2 percent more than in the specified budget of 2022. Operating expenses are planned for 902.1 million euros in the 2023 budget of the city of Tallinn, which is 8.8 percent more than in the specified budget for 2022. According to the draft, 217.6 million euros are earmarked for investments in 2023, which is 4.7 percent less than the specified budget for 2022.