Unlocking the renovation potential through collective action

Spain faces both a major opportunity and considerable challenges in advancing citizen-led energy renovation. With approximately 14 million homes in poor energy condition, the country has one of the highest potentials for energy efficiency improvements in Europe. Deep renovation could reduce household energy consumption by up to 80%. However, the current renovation rate remains critically low: only 0.08% of the building stock undergoes deep renovation each year, far below the EU Renovation Wave target of 3%.

Marta Suru, Project Manager at Fundació Europace, part of the COLOUR project, one of the ten enablers of the Support Service for Citizen-led Renovation (CLR) – tells us about how CLR initiatives are advancing in Catalonia, committed to benefiting especially the most vulnerable people and remote areas.

What is the state of the art of building renovation in Catalonia?

Catalonia accounts for 15% of Spain’s housing stock (3.9 million dwellings), much of which is ageing and energy-inefficient: over half was built before 1980, and 81% of EPCs are rated E–G. Under the EPBD, emission reduction targets increasingly require action, with 43% of the least efficient buildings expected to deliver 55% of emission reductions by 2050, marking a shift from voluntary to mandatory renovation.

Despite this, renovation remains largely fragmented and individual. Even targeted schemes such as Programa 1 de Barris have seen limited uptake due to weak citizen engagement and the absence of integrated, hands-on support. Progress has mainly occurred where prior experience or support structures already existed. Structural barriers include a fragmented SME market, limited homeowner capacity and access to upfront financing, high costs for small-scale projects, and insufficient or hard-to-access funding mechanisms.

Energy communities (ECs) show a similar gap between potential and implementation. Spain counts nearly 400 ECs, but they cover only 4% of municipalities; in Catalonia, just one in ten municipalities is involved, and only 12% of ECs have implemented a first project, mostly focused on photovoltaic self-consumption. Growth is constrained by early-stage administrative barriers and a narrow project scope. While citizen interest exists, execution is hindered by the lack of specialised, operational support. As a result, collective renovation remains marginal: only six ECs in Spain have launched joint renovation projects, two of them in Catalonia.

In Catalonia specifically, renovation within ECs is still nascent, with only a handful of active or ongoing projects and many more at preparatory stages, indicating significant untapped potential. This potential is reinforced by the forthcoming Catalan Neighbourhood Plan, which will allocate around €1.6 billion between 2025 and 2029 to municipal-led, area-based renovation. This funding framework creates a strategic opportunity for citizen-led energy communities and initiatives such as the COLOUR project to scale up collective renovation efforts.

What is the COLOUR project?

The COLOUR project is implemented by three partner entities - OECOOP Energia SCCL, the Institut Català de l’Energia (ICAEN), and Fundació Europace (FEP) - with the support of the external expert Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC).

OECoop has a strong track record in fostering energy communities whose ambitions go beyond photovoltaic self-consumption, encompassing collective renovation and broader social and environmental goals.

FEP contributes extensive expertise in One-Stop Shop–based Integrated Home Renovation Services, with proven experience in addressing structural barriers and stimulating renovation demand, particularly in multi-family buildings.

IREC complements the partnership with advanced scientific and technological expertise in renewable energy, smart energy management, and building decarbonisation. Its REACT group specialises in dynamic simulation, energy efficiency, and renewable integration at building and district level.

Finally, the Catalan Energy Institute (ICAEN), part of the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition of the Government of Catalonia, reinforces the initiative from a public governance perspective. As the leading body driving Catalonia’s transition towards a decarbonised, inclusive, and efficient energy model, ICAEN will leverage its network of 42 regional offices to provide in-depth knowledge of energy communities, their needs, and ongoing projects across the territory.

Together, OECoop, FEP, IREC, and ICAEN form a strong and complementary partnership combining community engagement, technical knowledge and innovation, operational expertise, and institutional support, creating a robust framework to accelerate the creation and consolidation of energy communities across Catalonia.

Please tell us more about the communities involved in the CLR III project

The three COLOUR Community-Led Renovation (CLR) initiatives will each develop collective renovation pilots combining building energy upgrades, renewable generation, and social inclusion. Through tailored technical solutions and governance models adapted to local contexts, they aim to demonstrate replicable pathways for citizen-led renovation across Catalonia.

Gurb Energia SCCL is a cooperative of 70 members influencing the local energy model for around 210 residents and already active in PV, shared mobility, and collective purchasing. The pilot will take place in the Vespella neighbourhood (108 inhabitants), characterised by farmhouses and multi-family buildings currently reliant on propane gas. The community will develop a comprehensive renovation strategy supported by energy audits and a feasibility study comparing three heating options: a fifth-generation low-temperature district heating and cooling network, individual geothermal or aerothermal systems, and biomethane-based solutions. Vulnerable households, particularly elderly and low-income residents, will be prioritised through surplus energy allocation, targeted subsidies, and coordination with local social services.

Santperenca d’Energia Sostenible (COSPES), founded in 2021, has 167 members (citizens, SMEs, and public organisations) and impacts around 500 residents. It has implemented six collective PV installations (240 kWp) and carried out several energy audits. Under COLOUR, in the urban area, COSPES will support apartment building owners interested in collective renovation by providing energy audits and implementation guidance. In the rural area, the cooperative and the municipality are assessing 20 farmhouses to identify opportunities for improvements in insulation, heating, and renewable integration. These actions will be consolidated into a comprehensive renovation proposal targeting regional funding, with particular attention to elderly and migrant tenants in rented housing.

Tavèrnoles Sostenible SCCL is a small, citizen-led non-profit cooperative with 22 members operating in a predominantly rural area of traditional stone farmhouses used for residential, agricultural, and rural tourism purposes. The project will initiate a collective renovation scheme combining building envelope upgrades with renewable thermal solutions based on geothermal or aerothermal heat pumps. Through COLOUR, the cooperative will model renovation scenarios, conduct energy audits, and actively involve vulnerable households in partnership with the municipality and social services. Dedicated information sessions will target families at risk of energy poverty, particularly those whose energy costs are currently covered by the municipality, to ensure inclusive participation.

All three communities face common challenges, including securing long-term financing and sustainable business models, strengthening member engagement and commitment, building internal consensus, and attracting the involvement of stakeholders such as banks, industrial actors, and energy service companies (ESCOs).

What is COLOUR’s role in the CLR III project?

COLOUR aims to strengthen long-term engagement, governance, and accountability within energy communities while increasing the pace and accessibility of collective renovation. It seeks to empower communities to lead renovation projects and to foster stronger municipal involvement by simplifying administrative processes and aligning local incentives with social and environmental objectives.

Through COLOUR, Catalan Community-Led Renovation actors will receive integrated technical, financial, legal, and administrative support, enabling energy communities to become effective promoters of collective renovation. By coordinating a fragmented value chain, COLOUR will accelerate renovation rates, reduce costs and complexity, and deliver shared benefits for citizens, municipalities, and local professionals.

Why are citizen-led renovation initiatives important?

Citizen-led renovation initiatives are essential because they foster ownership, inclusivity, and long-term commitment to the energy transition. They empower citizens to become active participants rather than passive consumers, bridging the gap between local needs and institutional programmes.

These initiatives strengthen social cohesion, build trust among neighbours, and help ensure that renovation benefits, such as lower energy bills, improved comfort, and better housing quality, are accessible to all, including vulnerable groups. In a context of ageing buildings and persistently low renovation rates, citizen-led models act as catalysts for collective action, helping overcome financial, technical, and administrative barriers.

By involving municipalities, cooperatives, and local businesses, citizen-driven renovation creates a virtuous cycle that stimulates local economies, creates skilled jobs, and ensures that public funding translates into tangible, community-centred outcomes.