On 28 September from 14:00 to 15:30, the Policy Learning Platform is organising an interactive webinar on how to improve energy efficiency and performance in social housing.
Social housing - housing owned by local authorities or non-profit organisations and rented to individuals and families with low incomes – face a number of distinct challenges for improving energy performance and reducing energy poverty.
Energy poor households are those that face high energy expenditure and low incomes. Typically, energy poverty has been tackled, not by improving energy performance through renovation and energy efficient technologies, but with subsidies for energy bills, removing incentives for investment and maintaining high energy use and resulting GHG emissions.
As well as a lack of incentive to invest, other challenges include:
- A wide number of ownership structures across Europe which make replicable models difficult to identify;
- Bundled costs, where energy costs are bundled in the rental bill resulting in a lack of transparency and incentive for change;
- Many financial support schemes require investment from households, which those in social housing do not have;
- Behavioural, cultural and awareness issues, including lack of knowledge and lack of trust in public intervention;
- Hidden energy poverty, as it is difficult to identify all those at risk;
- Territorial dimensions, with a frequent reluctance to invest in shrinking towns.
What you can expect
This webinar will explore the above described challenges and look at inspiring examples from Interreg Europe projects such as renovating social housing and tackling energy poverty.
You can expect to hear from:
- Ryan Weber with an introduction to the Social Green project, definition of social housing and challenges related to energy poverty and social housing.
- Florian Guillotte from SCIC les 7 Vents on Positive Energy Families challenge (CLEAN project)
- Andreea Rogozea form Regional Development Agency South Muntenia on Improved energy efficiency to combat energy poverty in a housing complex with vulnerable tenants (Social Green project)
- Rosalia Smaldone from Province of Potenza on ATER, territorial agency for residential buildings, sustainable public housing (LOCARBO project)
The webinar will also allow some time for discussing the particular challenges related to COVID-19 and increased building occupancy as a result of quarantines and lockdowns.
Make sure to reserve your spot below and submit your questions beforehand!
