Dean Smolar

Chief Executive Officer, Green Building Council Croatia 

Dean Smolar is a pioneer in energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable construction, and climate change in Croatia. He is also an expert in energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, and green building.

Born in Zagreb, Dean graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, where he was a recipient of the Rector’s Award and scholarships for gifted students. Throughout his career, he has received numerous national and international awards for innovation. After completing postgraduate studies in Economics and Management, he built a diverse professional career across national and international, private and public organizations, holding roles ranging from technical expert to senior management positions.

Dean played a key role in establishing and leading the National Energy Efficiency Authority, as well as managing the energy sector within the national agency for energy and investments. He has been actively involved in numerous EU-funded projects and has contributed to drafting laws, regulatory frameworks (EU acquis), national strategies, and action plans in the fields of energy efficiency and alternative fuels. Additionally, he has participated in the development of financial instruments for building renovation programs, energy savings verification, and energy efficiency obligation schemes.

Since 2017, Dean has served as the Executive Director of the Croatian Green Building Council. He also advises governmental organizations on the implementation of energy policies and represents Croatia in EU research and development programs focused on energy and sustainable construction, including Horizon Europe. He is also a board member of CPEA (Climate Positive Europe Alliance), where GBC Croatia contributed to developing the methodological framework for assessing the sustainability of building investments in line with the EU Taxonomy.