The Seminar “Social Housing: Present and Future”, promoted by the Municipality of Gaia and the Portuguese Association of Municipal Housing (APHM), took place last May 23 and attended by more than 250 participants.
The new legislation on social housing has been the main theme of this seminar, where Social Green Proyect played a central role.
This legislation supposes a new political cycle in the future of the social housing that will introduce changes in the management of the social districts and will promote the valorization of the municipalities. This future change also implies the increase of energy efficiency in the social neighborhoods and the consequent benefits for the comfort and quality of life of the residents.
In this sense, the representative of CCDR-N (Norte of Portugal Regional Coordination and Development Commission), Fernando Gomes, gave a presentation on the framework, objectives, diagnosis and action plan of the Social Green project for the North Region.
The improvement of the energy poverty index was defended as a social obligation by Manuela Álvares, executive administrator of Domus Social - Housing and Maintenance of the Municipality of Oporto.
For its part, Carla Pires, head of the Services and Innovation Division of the Gaia municipality, presented several measures promoted by the city of Gaia to increase the thermal quality of buildings, rationalize energy consumption and promote the reduction of Energy bill. Both municipalities are part of the stakeholder group of the Social Green Project.
The seminar was closed by Ester Silva, vice-president of CCDR-N, who stressed the importance of implementing active responses to the current needs of the population affected by the financial and economic crisis of The last decade, particularly disadvantaged and private communities.
