Thus supporting the European Commission's commitment to promoting renewable energy and increasing its share to 20 per cent by 2020, the Bulgarian Cabinet decided at its July 17 2008 regular meeting to make official a normative act to give buildings an energy passport.

The energy passport is separate from a building's technical certificate; its aim is to encourage energy efficiency. It will be realised through a systems of actions and measures to increase energy efficiency in end users and to progress the energy services market, among other goals.

Energy efficiency can, the Cabinet decision published on government.bg read, lead to greater competitiveness of the economy, security in energy supply and environmental preservation.

When selling a structure or part of one, the seller/owner of the property will present the new owner with an original of the energy certificate, as per guidelines in the draft bill. When a piece of property goes up for rent, the renter will receive a copy of the certificate. For new or reconstructed/renovated buildings, the energy passport will be conferred to the owner/renter before the latter begins using the facilities.

The certificate is to be updated every seven years.

The project aims to asses indicator goals for saving energy; these goals will be transmitted to traders in energy, building owners who wish to receive the energy passport and owners of industrial systems for whom holding to energy efficiency norms in required.

Yet the most important way to reduce energy use is with end consumers. They are a key factor in lessening harmful carbon dioxide emissions and vehicular fumes, the Cabinet's statement read.

The nation-wide goal for energy reduction for the 2008/2016 period is nine per cent, or 926 million leva-worth at current energy prices. This would also lead to 1 627 000 tons less of emitted carbon dioxide.

Coming along side this, the European Commission announced on July 16 its plan to ensure that “only sustainable produced biofuels and bioliquids would count towards the European Union's renewable energy targets”, thus giving Bulgaria another motive to look to smarter energy use

Because at the end, it will be in Bulgarians' own hands to reduce their use of energy, to think smarter about energy sources and to get their property certified with an energy passport.

A national information system about energy efficiency in Bulgaria is in the works; its goal is to assure access to and availability of information, as per Bulgarian law.