Regulation plays a critical role in accelerating the adoption of heat pumps. This chapter discusses the range of regulatory tools available to Moldova, including building codes, appliance standards, restrictions on fossil fuel heating, energy labelling and heat planning or zoning measures. 

Buildings remain a major source of emissions and energy consumption around the world. In Moldova, households are by far the country’s biggest users of energy. Upgrades to building performance through energy codes are critical for lowering energy demand per square metre, as well as improving quality of life, reducing air pollution and making energy more affordable.

Energy codes dictate performance requirements for both new and existing buildings. In new buildings, they can be used to ensure that efficient building practices are used, and renewable energy is considered from the beginning. Typically, these standards are simpler to implement because they target industry, rather than the residential sector. In existing buildings, energy codes can specify minimum performance standards, encourage renovation and mandate the replacement of polluting appliances.

In Moldova, more than 75% of the building stock was built before 1990 and the rate of new construction is slow. As discussed earlier, there is also a significant gap between rural and urban renovation efforts. Building energy codes are essential for driving the retrofitting of older buildings with cleaner heating systems – and for ensuring progress in both rural and urban communities.

Moldova has transposed the European Union’s Energy Performance in Buildings Directive (EPBD) into its law 282/2023. This was a key step towards ensuring improvements to building performance going forward. However, the EPBD was revised in 2024 and now contains important updates that are not yet reflected in Moldova’s law. Changes relevant to heat pumps include an updated standard for zero-emissions buildings; improved energy performance certificates; minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for non-residential buildings; and a quantitative target for a national renovation rate.

Heat pump deployment will be shaped by these measures – particularly the MEPS and the national renovation rate target – as well as by the broader policy framework and the extent to which Moldova prioritises heat pumps in building retrofits.

Standards for space heating appliances define the types of equipment that can be sold, setting minimum performance and environmental criteria. These standards have been in place in many European countries since the 1990s. By limiting inefficient systems, they play a crucial role in advancing Europe’s energy transition.

Several countries have gone further by introducing stringent requirements for heating systems. Since 2022, new buildings in France can no longer be fitted with oil or gas heating systems, while Germany mandates that at least 65% of energy used in heating system replacements must come from renewable sources. The Netherlands has taken an even more aggressive approach: New connections to the gas grid were prohibited in 2018 and a 2014 law empowers local authorities to disconnect gas customers and shift them to district heating.

Energy labelling schemes complement these measures by guiding consumers toward more efficient appliances. Moldova has fully incorporated the European Union’s Ecodesign and Energy Labelling directives into national law. The European Union has been looking to go a step further, aiming to increasingly restrict the sale of devices that fall below an efficiency rating of 115%. In the United States, the EnergyStar program has stopped recognising fossil fuel appliances as “most efficient”, reinforcing the shift toward low-carbon heating solutions.

National governments play a critical role in developing long-term integrated plans for the heating sectors. Given the substantial investments that heating systems require – whether for district heating networks or electricity grids to power heat pumps – a clear understanding of future heating demand and supply is essential for effective planning. A national heat study could help address this.

The European Union’s 2023 revised Energy Efficiency Directive requires that all municipalities with more than 45 000 inhabitants undertake long-term heating and cooling planning. Municipalities play an important role in determining the thermal needs of their constituents, and they are well placed to convene all the actors involved in the sector. In addition, they can pass zoning laws mandating that certain areas be connected to a specific type of heating. Vienna, among many other cities, has defined district heating zones.

Improving data collection on heat pump deployment in Moldova is essential for both market monitoring and assessing progress toward renewable energy targets. A more systematic approach to data gathering would enable policymakers to track the adoption of heat pumps, identify market trends, and address barriers to growth.

This includes gathering detailed information on sales and industry, as well as building stock and performance. It also involves integrating heat pump metrics such as “ambient heat consumption” into national energy statistics. Reliable data is also crucial for accurately calculating the share of renewable energy in heating and cooling, ensuring compliance with European Union reporting requirements. Strengthening collaboration between government agencies, industry stakeholders, and utilities can improve data accuracy and availability, supporting better policy design and investment planning for Moldova’s heat pump deployment.

• Restrict natural gas and biomass in new buildings in line with the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive
• Restrict sales of fossil fuel boilers in existing buildings in line with the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive
• Consider a restriction on biomass in existing buildings in urban areas where air pollution may be significant
• Convene a national conference on heating and cooling planning which invites national and local governments
• Collect data on the heat pump market, renewable energy for heating and cooling, and building stock