As a collaboration between USAID and Habitat for Humanity, REELIH (Residential Energy Efficiency in Low-Income Households) aims to provide residents with renovation loans to improve energy efficiency. Because multi-apartment buildings were privatized in the 1990s, with ownership transferred from the state to residents, maintenance has largely been deferred, meaning energy efficiency is a major issue across Central and Eastern Europe.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, REELIH began with four demonstration buildings that have been fully retrofitted, benefitting 133 residents, and the numbers are expected to gradually grow. The success of this initial project led to local governments in Tuzla Canton to take similar actions, adopting a plan to retrofit homes across thirteen municipalities.
Sources:
Habitat for Humanity. (n.d.) rely on REELIH. Habitat for Humanity Europe, Middle East, and Africa.