Meet RenoCOOP - Transforming energy cooperatives

RenoCOOP officially launched with a two-day kickoff meeting on 25 and 26 June at EnerGent’s headquarters in Ghent, Belgium. Funded by the LIFE Clean Energy Transition programme, the project brings together a team of cooperatives and experts committed to making home renovations simpler, smarter and more community-driven.
RenoCOOP’s mission is to transform how energy cooperatives across Europe support homeowners in upgrading their homes for energy efficiency. Instead of the usual one home at a time approach, the project will focus on neighbourhood-scale renovations, helping more people benefit from affordable, high-quality renovations through local cooperation.
One of the key goals is to improve the way cooperatives work with builders. Too often, homeowners face delays, poor communication or unexpected costs. RenoCOOP will introduce new ways to build stronger, more transparent partnerships with construction companies, something cooperatives are well-placed to do thanks to their independence and close ties to their communities.
The project also wants to make renovations more strategic. Many homeowners start with small improvements but don’t know what to do next. That’s why RenoCOOP will promote the use of Building Renovation Passports, helping people plan long-term for deep retrofits that lead to fully sustainable homes before 2050.
At the heart of RenoCOOP are five leading cooperatives working in five EU countries: SNAP Partners (coordination), People Powered Retrofit (Ireland), EnerGent (Belgium), Les7Vents (France), Goiener (Spain) and Coopérnico (Portugal). Together, they aim to create a model that can be replicated widely across Europe, inspiring other citizen-led initiatives to follow suit.