The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets has published guidelines on the installation of cooling devices on street façades of buildings in accordance with the Law on the Management and Maintenance of Buildings. WE HEREBY PROVIDE THE GUIDELINES IN FULL!
Taking into account numerous inquiries and public interest regarding legally acceptable methods of installing outdoor units of air conditioning devices on the common façades of buildings, the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets provides the following guidance:
The Law on the Management and Maintenance of Buildings entered into force on 1 January 2025 and regulates the management and maintenance of buildings in the Republic of Croatia. Among other things, the Law prescribes conditions for the installation of cooling devices, i.e., outdoor units of air conditioning systems, on the common façades of buildings.
The purpose of the Law is to ensure high-quality and sustainable regulation of building maintenance, which also includes the requirement that the external appearance of buildings remains consistent with the original design on the basis of which building and occupancy permits were issued. Furthermore, any subsequent interventions on façades must comply with applicable regulations and modern standards in architecture, construction, energy efficiency, as well as standards for the protection of cultural heritage.
Regulatory Framework
Article 4, Paragraph 1, Item 16 of the Law on the Management and Maintenance of Buildings defines the street façade of a multi-residential building as the façade facing a street and/or square.
Article 20, Paragraph 4 of the Law stipulates that cooling devices, heating devices, renewable energy sources, antenna systems, as well as pipes, cables, and accessories for such devices, may not be installed on the street façades of constructed buildings.
Paragraph 5 of the same Article provides an exception: such devices may be installed on balconies, loggias, or terraces, provided they are not directly visible from public space.
Accordingly, outdoor units of cooling devices may be installed on street façades, but only within balconies, loggias, and terraces, and only if they are not directly visible from public space
Energy Renovation and Repairs of Existing Devices
The provisions restricting installation apply only to installations made after the Law on the Management and Maintenance of Buildings entered into force, i.e., after 1 January 2025. Therefore, these provisions do not have retroactive effect.
Consequently, they do not apply to the temporary removal of existing cooling devices for repair or energy renovation, followed by their reinstallation at the same location, provided that the devices were originally installed before the Law entered into force.
Conclusion
The intention of the Law on the Management and Maintenance of Buildings is to regulate building maintenance, including the external appearance of street façades without (visible) cooling devices. Therefore, all participants in construction, during both the preparation of façade renovation designs and the execution of works, are required to comply with the provisions of the Law.
Source: Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets (MPGI)
