C4E Forum 2025 – people who made the difference

Day Two Focuses on Policy, Practice, and People Driving Energy Efficiency

The second day of the Central and Eastern European Energy Efficiency Forum (C4E Forum 2025) delivered a packed agenda of 14 engaging panel discussions, showcasing the diverse efforts underway across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to accelerate energy efficiency in the building sector. The sessions brought together decision-makers, public officials, business leaders, NGOs, and technical experts to discuss the current landscape, key challenges, and actionable solutions for scaling up building renovations and decarbonisation across the region.

Celebrating Leadership: The C4E Champion Award

The day concluded with the C4E Champion Award Ceremony, which honours exceptional public and elected local officials who have made significant contributions to advancing energy efficiency policy in their country or region. Held biennially by the Forum’s organisers, the award serves as a recognition of leadership, innovation, and impact in public service.

This year’s edition recognised a remarkable cohort of leaders: seven national champions—each representing a different country in Central and Eastern Europe—were honoured for their outstanding commitment to energy efficiency. Among them, one was further distinguished as the regional champion, reflecting a truly exemplary level of influence and dedication across borders.

For her demonstrated dedication to the adoption of well-founded energy efficiency policies, her long civil service career, and her deep expertise on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive that she readily shares with her peers in EU-funded projects and expert groups, all of which has been coupled with an impressive academic career that has influenced several generations of students, the laureate for the 2025 Central and Eastern European Regional Award is Anca Ginavar of the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration in Romania.

– This is like a lifetime achievement award, but I’m not retiring. I’m not going anywhere, Thank you all from the bottom of my heart – said Anca Ginavar. Receiving the Romanian jury award Ginavar said this is an award not only for her, but for her small and dynamic team.

 – This is an incentive not to give up. We have many challenges. There are many people who deserve this award equally. We are doing important work, it is not just writing regulations, but we have managed to secure three billion euros for reconstruction, and we are starting a wave of reconstruction. We hope that this will improve the life of the citizens of Romania who will live in a higher quality building stock – said Ginavar.

Quotes from other local C4E champions:

• – This is a great recognition that our work, my work, is being recognised and we have been given the opportunity to receive such an important award – Todor Popov, Head of the Directorate “Administration, Legal, and Information Services”, Gabrovo Municipality (Bulgaria).
•  – As a public servant, I have the opportunity to make a difference, to improve the lives of people in Croatia. Renovated hospitals, schools and buildings are our greatest award, and this award only further emphasizes that – Irena Kriż-Šelendic, Director for Energy Efficiency in the Buildings Sector, Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets (Croatia).
•  – I think this is a great appreciation of the business sector for the work of the public sector. Our cooperation is very important, this is an award for all the people I work with. A big thank you to those people. – Nathalie Marková, Director of the Energy Efficiency and Savings Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade (Czech Republic).
•  – As an academic, I am used to different feedback in the assessment of my scientific papers. This is feedback that is real, it shows how hard we worked. This is the result of the actors fighting against the wind turbines who want to improve energy efficiency in Hungary, which is a big challenge. Thank you very much – Tamás Csoknyai Head of Department, Associate Professor, Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary).
•  – It is a pleasure to see tangible results in our country. Especially since we see the acceptance of sustainable solutions at the local level. We have challenges, but we knew that the changes would be positive, that the Poles would support them. The goals of decarbonisation and our possibilities are a big challenge. But I believe that together we will build a sustainable future – Dorota Zawadzka-Stepniak President of the Managing Board, Polish National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (Poland – award being accepted on her behalf by Marta Babicz)
•  – This is a great honor on behalf of our agency. A CEO is only as successful as his team. My role last year was to create such a team. This award is a recognition of their work – Slovak Environment Agency, represented by its General Director, Juraj Moravčík (Slovakia).

The laureates took part on the panel discussion, along with the many messages they sent, seven of them stand out. When asked what is needed for work, it is:

– Patience, independence, wisdom, never giving up, being brave to admit a mistake, being curious and communicating with people.

Knowledge Hub 2025: A Marketplace of Ideas

This year’s edition also featured the interactive Knowledge Hub – a dedicated space for showcasing innovative projects and case studies. The poster session brought attention to grassroots initiatives, EU-funded projects, and local solutions tackling everything from deep retrofits and sustainable cooling to regulatory reform and historic building renovation. Attendees could explore the CINEA stand to learn more about funding and technical support opportunities under the European Commission’s LIFE Clean Energy Transition programme.

With over a dozen EU-funded initiatives on display – such as EPBD.wise, CoolLIFE, and Renov-AID—the Knowledge Hub enabled informal exchanges that complemented the day’s formal sessions and fostered deeper collaboration across sectors.