LIFE reduces energy poverty for Europe’s vulnerable communities

Freezing winter temperatures across Europe can push lower-income citizens into energy poverty, struggling to heat their homes or stay healthy and warm. It is estimated that approximately 40 million people in the EU are not able to keep their homes adequately warm, in individual and communal housing. Two LIFE Clean Energy Transition (CET) projects, LIFE CET RENOVERTY and LIFE CET EP-0, are aiming to reduce energy poverty.    

There are many logistical, financial, administrative, and legal barriers that prevent communities from retrofitting their homes. Energy poverty is based on a combination of low household incomes, high energy prices, and homes that are not energy efficient. LIFE CET RENOVERTY is setting out how single and multi-family dwellings in rural districts can be retrofitted, through a series of roadmaps. These roadmaps should be financially viable and socially just. RENOVERTY is providing tools and resources to local communities, such as skills and defining financial solutions. Each roadmap must consider the socio-economic situation of inhabitants, so that all renovation improves their security, comfort, accessibility, and quality of life.   

Seven pilot projects are being run in Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, with over 100 households supported in their home renovation. RENOVERTY aims to demonstrate how these can be scaled up across the EU, with over 1 000 households expected to replicate the results. The project will also help integrate future rural and peri-urban development.   

LIFE CET EP-0 or Energy Poverty Zero, will improve the energy efficiency of buildings in 10 vulnerable districts across Italy, France and the Netherlands. Following the ‘EnergieSprong’ approach, the buildings will be retrofitted to high energy-efficient standards, using industrialised, prefabricated solutions.   

It aims to decrease the cost of social housing renovations and bring health and wellbeing, and environmental benefits. The project’s energy efficiency measures will reduce tonnes of carbon emissions, and save an estimated EUR 650 000 in health costs each year. It will lift thousands of households out of energy poverty permanently.   

A section dedicated to LIFE funding energy poverty-related projects, with information on these two projects and multiple others, is available on the European Energy Poverty Advisory Hub website.     

RENOVERTY and Energy Poverty Zero align to a series of EU Directives, including: Energy Efficiency; Renewable energy; and Energy performance of buildings. Addressing energy poverty is a key element of the European Green Deal.