On 4 June, the Citizen-Led Renovation (CLR) initiative brought together policymakers, industry representatives, researchers and project practitioners for a webinar exploring how prefabricated renovation can support faster, higher-quality and more citizen-friendly building renovations across Europe.
The webinar highlighted how off-site construction methods are becoming an increasingly important part of Europe's renovation ecosystem. While prefabricated solutions are not a one-size-fits-all answer, speakers agreed that they can significantly accelerate renovation when combined with citizen engagement, collective action and strong local coordination.
Supporting Europe's Renovation Wave
Opening the webinar, Mariana Mesquita (DG ENER, European Commission) underlined the strategic role of Citizen-Led Renovation in delivering the objectives of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). As Member States prepare their National Building Renovation Plans, collective renovation approaches will be essential to increase renovation rates, empower citizens and build trust in the renovation process.
Prefabricated renovation was highlighted as one of the solutions that can help reduce construction time, minimise disruption for occupants and improve working conditions, while supporting the broader industrialisation of the European construction sector.
A favourable policy landscape
Providing an overview of the European policy context, Rémi Collombet, Secretary General of Efficient Buildings Europe, explained how several EU initiatives are creating favourable conditions for off-site renovation.
Beyond the revised EPBD and the Energy Efficiency Directive, the recently launched European Affordable Housing Plan and the Strategy for Housing Construction recognise industrialised construction methods as an important tool for tackling both the housing and climate challenges.
However, policy alone is not enough. He stressed that continued investment, simplified permitting procedures and stronger support for industrial supply chains will be needed to unlock the full potential of prefabricated renovation across Europe.
Lessons from Estonia: preparation is everything
Sharing the Estonian experience, Uku Loide from the Estonian Islands Energy Agency, one of CLR enablers, demonstrated that prefabricated renovation is far more than simply installing factory-made façade panels.
Successful projects rely on an integrated process that begins with detailed building surveys, digital modelling and careful planning before production starts. Factory-manufactured façade elements can integrate insulation, windows, ventilation systems and even photovoltaic solutions, allowing installation on site to be completed in just a few weeks instead of several months.
The Estonian experience also highlighted that success depends on creating the right conditions beforehand:
- identifying groups of similar buildings;
- ensuring residents make decisions early in the process;
- securing financing;
- bundling projects to create sufficient market volume; and
- coordinating stakeholders throughout the renovation journey.
This preparation phase is precisely where CLR enablers can play a crucial role by connecting communities with technical experts, suppliers and financing opportunities.
Collective renovation at district scale
The webinar also explored how collective renovation can help overcome many of the barriers that individual homeowners face.
Presenting the LIFE AREC Reno project, Romain Maire (Ressort) argued that neighbourhood-scale renovation creates confidence among residents, reduces preparation costs, strengthens quality assurance and provides greater visibility for local construction companies.
One of the key messages was that renovation is not only a technical challenge but also a social one. Industrial scalability must go hand in hand with social acceptance, meaning that collective approaches should leave room for individual choices while benefiting from economies of scale.
Rather than treating prefabrication as the objective itself, he suggested viewing it as one possible delivery method that should be applied where it creates genuine added value.
Italy's experience: combining industrialisation with social impact
Silvia Biandrate (EDERA) presented several Italian examples, amongst which the STREET HP RENO LIFE project, demonstrating how industrialised retrofit solutions are already delivering tangible results.
Projects in Milan have shown how prefabricated façade systems can dramatically reduce installation time while improving building performance, aesthetics and residents' quality of life. One social housing project achieved significant reductions in energy consumption while minimising disruption through scaffold-free installation and careful logistics planning.
The Italian examples also illustrated that industrialised renovation can combine multiple objectives, including:
- energy efficiency;
- renewable energy integration;
- seismic improvement;
- architectural regeneration; and
- enhanced social spaces for residents.
Although current upfront investment may still be higher than traditional renovation methods, she noted that life-cycle costs, reduced construction time and improved building performance can provide significant long-term value.
Industry perspective: innovation complements traditional renovation
Closing the presentations, Federico Tedeschi, chairman of EAE's Technical Committee at European Association for External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS), provided an industry perspective on how traditional façade insulation systems and off-site solutions can work together.
Rather than seeing prefabrication as competing with conventional renovation methods, he argued that Europe will need both approaches to meet its ambitious decarbonisation targets.
Industrialised construction can help address some of the sector's major challenges, including labour shortages, faster delivery times and improved quality control. At the same time, traditional solutions remain essential, particularly for smaller or highly customised renovation projects where full standardisation is not feasible.
Key messages for Citizen-led Renovation
Successful prefabricated renovation depends not only on innovative technologies but also on strong community engagement, early planning and trusted local support. Collective purchasing and neighbourhood-scale approaches can generate sufficient demand to make industrialised solutions more economically attractive, while reducing risks for citizens.
For the CLR community, the webinar reinforced the importance of our enablers in creating the conditions for success. By supporting communities throughout the preparation phase, facilitating collaboration and building trust, enablers can help transform technical innovation into citizen-led renovation projects that are scalable, affordable and socially accepted.
As Europe seeks to double renovation rates and decarbonise its building stock, prefabricated renovation offers a promising pathway, but only when combined with the collaborative, people-centred approach that lies at the heart of the Citizen-Led Renovation initiative.
Want to learn more? Explore the webinar recording and download the presentation slides on the Technical Skills section of our hub or by clicking below:
- Publication date
- 6 July 2026
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy