ComActivate Project

ComActivate responds to growing levels of energy poverty across the EU, especially in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, by addressing the poor energy efficiency of buildings as a major driver of energy poverty, and as a driver of climate change. ComActivate will be implemented in three municipalities in three countries: Burgas in Bulgaria, Józsefváros in Hungary and Kaišiadorys in Lithuania. These countries are situated in different regions of Europe facing different climatic challenges, yet they have similar characteristics due to their shared Socialist history and the large privatisation of the housing stock in the 1990s. Around 60% of people in CEE live in Multi-Family Apartment Buildings (MFABs) and the social, technical, legislative, and financial challenges to renovate such buildings are very complex, especially when it comes to renewable energies. ComActivate will develop, demonstrate and advocate solutions for MFABs that reduce energy poverty, enhance energy security, and bring building emissions in line with climate targets (near complete decarbonisation by 2050) through: - Institutionalisation of Resource Centres (RCs) at the local level as a recognised mechanism to reach energy poor communities and facilitate agreement in Home Owner Associations (HOAs); - Development of Neighbourhood Energy Sufficiency Roadmaps (NESRs) to address the complexities of renewable energies for MFABs and determine how energy needs can be secured in line with poverty alleviation and climate neutrality; - Building the capacity of HOA managers for the implementation of renovations, and raising awareness of communities to dispel concerns about the benefits of renovations; and - Public-private policy and investment dialogue at the national and EU level to enable the sustainability of RCs and the implementation of NESRs.