Building energy efficient communities

In many EU countries multi-family dwellings represent the dominant residential solution. But structural renovations to cut emissions and save energy may be a real challenge in such contexts, if the communities are not properly involved in the process

In most EU countries, half of the residential stock was built before the introduction of thermal regulations. But building renovation is particularly challenging for multi-family dwellings, where socio-economic conditions often represent a barrier. The only approach is to involve people from the beginning.

This is what some families have experienced in a block of flats in Zaragoza, one of the demonstration sites of the European project BuildHeat. A social worker helped the tenants to accept the changes, which is something quite innovative in this kind of project.

By Claudio Rocco

18 June 2019