19 June, 2026
Read the full article →
Every year we meet people who were pressured into signing a heating contract in their own kitchen. The scenario is always similar: a friendly “advisor” calls or knocks, mentions the Clean Air programme, warns that “the money is running out”, and produces a contract before the kettle has boiled. A week later the person is not sure what they signed, what it costs, or what the subsidy actually covers.
Here is the truth the pressure sellers do not want you to know: the Clean Air programme is not going anywhere. It is a long-term national programme with regular calls for applications. Applications are accepted continuously, and the budget is renewed. Nobody needs to sign anything today to “catch” it.
Our advice, in order: first, get the facts – what programmes you qualify for and roughly how much funding is realistic. Second, get an energy audit, which tells you what your building actually needs (sometimes it is insulation, not a new boiler). Third, collect two or three offers and compare them calmly. Fourth, only then sign. The whole process can take a few weeks – and those weeks are exactly what protects you from a bad decision.
At our information point in Rzeszów, nobody will rush you. We are a foundation, not a sales company: our only interest is that you end up with the right solution, properly funded, at your own pace.
16 June, 2026
Read the full article →
It sounds paradoxical, but our advisors see it regularly: a family replaces an old coal boiler with a modern heat pump, receives a generous subsidy – and a year later their bills are higher than before. What went wrong?
Usually one of three things. First: the building was not prepared. A heat pump in a leaky, uninsulated house has to work at maximum power all winter, and electricity at maximum power is expensive. The house needed insulation first; the heat pump should have been step two, not step one. Second: the device was oversized or badly configured. An installer who sells equipment has an incentive to sell a bigger unit; a bigger unit cycling on and off wastes energy and wears out faster. Third: the family was never taught how to run it. A heat pump is not a fire-and-forget stove – it rewards small things like sensible temperature curves and not blocking the outdoor unit.
The lesson is not “avoid subsidies” – it is “do the project in the right order”. Insulate, seal, ventilate properly, and only then choose the heat source, sized by an audit rather than by a salesman's estimate. That is exactly the sequence we follow with every household we advise, and it is why our projects deliver the savings the brochures promise.
11 February, 2026
Read the full article →
The contractor you choose will determine whether your subsidized project is a blessing or a two-decade headache. Based on hundreds of projects, here is our practical checklist.
1. They should welcome the audit, not fear it. A good contractor wants to know the building's real heat loss before quoting. If someone offers a fixed price “without any audits”, they are guessing with your money. 2. They know the programme rules. Ask which works are eligible, what documentation they will provide, and how the settlement works. A contractor experienced with Clean Air answers without hesitation. 3. They give itemised offers. One number for “everything” hides both padding and omissions. 4. They show references you can call. Not photos on a phone – actual previous customers. 5. They put warranties in writing. Equipment warranty, workmanship warranty, service response time. 6. They never ask for the full amount upfront. Sensible advances exist; 100% prepayment is a warning sign.
And one more thing: be suspicious of anyone who discourages you from getting independent advice. An honest contractor has nothing to fear from a foundation that checks the numbers.
9 February, 2026
Read the full article →
A rejection letter feels like a verdict, but in our experience most rejected applications fail for a handful of avoidable reasons. Here are the most common ones we see at our information point.
The audit did not match the works. The improvements listed in the application must be the improvements the audit recommended. Replacing the scope silently – “while we're at it, let's also do X” – breaks the chain. Missing or outdated documents. Income certificates, property records, technical documentation: one expired document stops the whole assessment. The heat source was not on the eligible list. Not every device sold as “ecological” meets the programme's technical requirements – always check the list before buying, not after. Deadlines missed. The works and the settlement have time limits; a project that drags on can lose its funding. Simple formal errors. Wrong legal status of the applicant, unsigned pages, arithmetic mistakes.
The good news: most of these can be fixed. Depending on the reason, you may be able to supplement documents or reapply. Bring your rejection letter to our point in Rzeszów and we will read it with you, explain exactly what went wrong, and help you do it right the second time. The advice is free – that is what the information point is for.
27 February, 2025
Read the full article →
In the face of rising energy costs and pressure on sustainability, an energy audit is the first step to savings. For a company, the logic is brutally simple: every kilowatt-hour you do not buy is profit that goes straight to the bottom line – every year, permanently.
A business energy audit examines the building envelope, heating and cooling systems, lighting, ventilation and production processes where relevant. It produces a ranked list of improvements with calculated costs, savings and payback times. In our audits of commercial buildings in the Rzeszów area, the biggest wins are rarely exotic: lighting retrofits, compressed-air leaks, heating running in empty rooms, and roofs that have never seen insulation.
There is also a second reason: money. EU and regional funds for business energy efficiency require a professional audit as the foundation of the application. With over 12 years of experience in writing EU and national funding applications, our team prepares both the audit and the application – so the path from “we should do something about energy costs” to a funded project is one conversation long.
If your company, municipality or institution is in the Subcarpathian region, contact us. The audit will pay for itself in decisions it prevents alone.
