Training program for apartment associations /condominiums
EKYL’s training program aims to increase housing experts’ (professional housing managers, municipal officials, volunteers) capacity and knowledge to work as condominium managers, to tackle energy poverty and to engage the community in achieving energy efficiency in multi-apartment buildings. By encouraging private sector (homeowners’) commitments, the program actively supports the implementation of local and national energy and climate strategies.
The unique training program developed by EKYL provides a systematic examination of the administration and management of condominiums, housing legislation, cooperative property maintenance, energy efficient renovation, and use of renewable energy in residential buildings with the aim of improving work processes and quality of work for those in administrative roles in condominiums (non-profits in Estonia). Every year, over 4,000 representatives from condominiums, municipalities, and enterprises all over Estonia participate in these EKYL training activities.
The program was launched in 1996 and has been continually developed according to the changing needs of the target groups. Currently, 2 versions of the program are in use: a 60-hour and a 120-hour program (classroom training, online training, study visits). In addition, the training activities of the EKYL’s Training Centre for Apartment Associations include:
- Annual summer and winter academies for apartment associations in Estonia
- Annual conferences of apartment associations in Estonia
- Baltic Housing Conferences and Innovation Conferences
- Monthly round-tables for managers of apartment associations all over Estonia
The training has been developed and tested by EKYL through different pilot courses in Estonia. It is easily applicable to the housing conditions and professional standards in countries where apartment associations or condominiums are part of the housing system. This training practice can be replicated in any country but would be the best solution for post-Soviet countries that have undertaken massive privatization of housing and are facing the challenge of old and energy-inefficient housing stock.
The program has been recognized in Estonia as well as at the international level; similar programs has been developed by EKYL for housing organisations in Ukraine and Belarus.
EKYL welcomes study groups from other countries
Selection of training topics:
- Principles of management of apartment associations in Estonia.
- EKYL’s work for sustainable housing and cooperation with different stakeholders for empowering apartment associations for renovation and achieving energy-efficiency in multi-apartment buildings.
- EKYL’s tools for raising public awareness on housing issues.
- Support measures from municipality for apartment associations and renovation of multi- apartment buildings – example of city of Tallinn.
- Renovation of multi-apartment buildings in Estonia, best practice with a focus on blocks of flats from soviet period.
- Site visits to apartment associations in Estonia.
Languages of instruction are Estonian, English or Russian.
Information and registration of international study groups: Ms Anu Sarnet anu.sarnet@ekyl.ee.