From Policy to Practice: European Funding and the Development of Energy-Efficient Buildings in Romania’s Mountain Regions

The European Union’s transition to climate neutrality by 2050 requires measurable reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, especially in territories characterized by geographical constraints, such as mountainous regions. The study analyzes how European funding guidelines are translated into concrete technical interventions for public buildings in mountainous areas of Romania, using a representative case study from Rodna, Bistrița-Năsăud County. The methodology is based on the national energy performance calculation framework (Mc 001/2022), harmonized with Directive 2010/31/EU and aligned with the EN ISO 52016-1 framework, while maintaining compatibility with the quasi-steady-state methodology implemented in MC 001/2022, and includes the assessment of compliance with the “Do No Significant Harm” (DNSH) principle also. The integrated energy rehabilitation of the analyzed building led to reductions in final energy consumption of 30–45%, primary energy consumption of 40–45%, and operational CO2 emissions of 45–50%. The integration of renewable energy sources increased their share to approximately 35% of the building’s energy mix. The estimated annual reduction of 40–45 tons of CO2 highlights the direct climate impact of investments financed from European funds. The results confirm that European funding instruments function not only as financial mechanisms, but also as governance instruments capable of steering the transition towards a low-emission construction sector in vulnerable mountain regions.