Next Phase of the Citizen-Led Renovation Initiative

Building on the experiences and the knowledge acquired during previous phases, the citizen-led renovation initiative is now scaling-up. The focus is shifting from pilot initiatives, to creating the enabling conditions and structures (“enablers”) necessary to guide energy communities in undertaking collective building energy renovations. The initiative seeks to increase the number of energy communities and citizens engaged in building energy renovation by strengthening enablers.

Enabling Structures: Steering Citizen-Led Renovation

At the heart of the initiative are enablers, to be selected among energy agencies, one-stop shops, energy communities federations, associations, local authorities and other stakeholders. These structures act as key facilitators for local energy communities, providing tailored support services to empower them in undertaking building energy renovations and scaling citizen-led initiatives.

Support Services for Citizen-Led Renovation

The support services delivered by enablers will assist communities in their renovation efforts. These services will:

• Provide comprehensive yet specific and tailor-made support to citizen-led renovation initiatives, including technical guidance, financial advice, and project management.
• Assist communities in developing strategies and business models and accessing resources to implement sustainable and efficient building renovations.
• Foster dynamic local ecosystems that support the emergence and scaling of citizen-led initiatives.
• Strengthen local capacities through training sessions, workshops, and ongoing support to ensure sustainable management of renovation projects.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and dissemination of best practices from previous phases, fostering innovation and learning across Europe.
• Scale and replicate successful local projects across regions, amplifying their impact.

The initiative is managed by a consortium of local facilitators operating within their territories to drive the sustainable energy transition. The team is led by the Energy and Sustainable Development Agency (AESS, Italy) and includes:

• FEDARENE: The European Federation of Regions and Agencies for Energy and the Environment.
• Energy Cities : The European learning community for future-proof cities
• The North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA).
• REScoop.eu: the European federation of energy communities
• Akaryon

The initiative currently includes five enablers:

• Energy and Sustainable Development Agency -AESS, Italy,
• Codema: Dublin’s Energy Agency, Ireland,
• Valencia Clima i Energia: Valencia Climate and Energy, Spain,
• North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA);,
• Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Énergie Environnement and ALTER Alsace, France,

and will expand in 2025 with a call to recruit five additional enabling structures before the summer.

The service design will take off with the development of support services in partner regions.