According to new data from Eurostat, Cyprus is among the top 5 EU countries whose residents are in no hurry to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
In particular, the island state ranks fourth on this indicator.
Over the past five years, only 14.6% of Cypriots have modernised the energy systems in their homes. This includes insulating external walls, repairing roofs or floors, replacing single windows with double or triple glazing and installing more efficient heating systems. The situation is only worse in Spain, Greece and Malta, where only 14.3%, 11.9%, and 8.4% respectively benefited from the initiative.
It is worth noting that the EU average is much higher - 25.5% of the bloc's population aged 16 and over have modernised their homes in the last five years. The Netherlands leads the way (59%), followed by Estonia (47%), Latvia (37%), Slovakia and Hungary (both 35%).
The data also shows that Cyprus has serious problems with housing quality, with 31.6% of residents reporting problems such as leaking roofs, damp walls or rotting frames - the highest rate in the EU.
In terms of greenhouse gas emissions from household heating and cooling, Cyprus recorded 428.6 kg per person in 2022, below the EU average of 647 kg per person. The highest emissions are recorded in Luxembourg (1 296 kg per person) and the lowest in Sweden (27 kg).
As a reminder, in October 2024 the Cypriot cabinet approved a new €30 million grant programme called 'Saving and Retrofitting Homes'. Funded by the EU's Recovery and Sustainability Mechanism, the programme aims to improve the condition of Cypriot homes. This includes: insulation, window replacement, solar water heating systems and photovoltaic installations. Applications will be accepted until 20 December 2024 or until the budget is exhausted.