During their second LSG meeting, AIM reconnected with stakeholders online to further discuss the role of the regional policy instruments—the Regional Operational Programme 2021-2027—to improve energy efficiency and combat fossil fuel shortages. This discussion was organised around the Impacts and Assurances Framework conducted by all Social Green partners in their respective regions, and also by looking at concrete examples of greening the social housing sector from other local and international levels. Representatives of AIM also presented the REHABITA project—the good practice identified by representatives from Social Green partners Agenex in an earlier Social Green interregional meeting. Stakeholders were also invited to express their opinions about the impact of the pandemic on the housing sector and share energy reconditioning measures from their unique perspectives.
The meeting had several takeaways: first, stakeholders agree that energy efficiency is a challenge due to the continuing rise in energy costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, it was suggested that counteracting the effects of the pandemic on the social housing sector could happen by providing facilities and incentives from the government. The gathered stakeholders proposed ideas to support energy efficiency measures and capitalisation of local renewable energy sources, and they shared specific measures to rehabilitate social housing and make them more energy efficient in order to ensure a higher degree of comfort for inhabitants. A total of 35 participants joined the meeting.
