[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/11638\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E Home renovations for Europe\u2019s low-income families get a boost\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the northeastern Italian city of Trieste, a construction project intended as a model for Europe is getting underway. On the southeastern outskirts of the city, eight buildings with social housing dating from the early 1950s will be demolished and replaced by energy-efficient apartments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat\u2019s more, green spaces will be created and existing ones improved around the new homes to enhance the attractiveness of the area and foster outdoor activity and social interaction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommunity care\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe buildings are currently empty after former inhabitants were moved into other social housing. Ideas for improvements will be gathered from surrounding-area residents to feed into the whole neighbourhood upgrade, which aims to ensure that low-income inhabitants have healthy housing and pleasant surroundings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018This is not the problem of a single person or a single family,\u2019 said Cristina Davi, manager at Italian public-housing agency ATER Trieste. \u2018It\u2019s a problem of the community. It\u2019s important for them to say something about the space in which they live and the services provided.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrieste, located on the Adriatic Sea, has a population of around 200 000 and is Italy\u2019s largest seaport by freight. Also the most important seaport of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E century and near Italy\u2019s border with Slovenia, the city has long been ethnically and religiously diverse.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt present, roughly a tenth of Trieste\u2019s population lives in social housing managed by ATER Trieste, according to Davi. Their average annual income is below\u0026nbsp;\u20ac15 000, with many over 65 years of age or single parents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018As a social-housing agency, we have to help guide the energy choices of inhabitants,\u2019 said Davi.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EATER Trieste is part of a Europe-wide research project that received EU funding to accelerate the renovation of homes of people who struggle to pay their energy bills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalled\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/101079963\u0022\u003ESUPERSHINE\u003C\/a\u003E, the project began in November 2022 and is due to run until the end of March 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESUPERSHINE is inspired by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu\/index_en\u0022\u003ENew European Bauhaus\u003C\/a\u003E (NEB) initiative to make living in Europe more sustainable, healthy and inclusive.\u0026nbsp;The EU is organising an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu\/festival_en\u0022\u003ENEB festival\u003C\/a\u003E in the Belgian capital Brussels on 9-13 April.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShining lights\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrieste is a microcosm of Europe with regard to \u201cenergy poverty\u201d, which occurs when a household is forced to cut energy use to a degree that is detrimental to inhabitants\u2019 health and wellbeing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe need to look at the bigger picture by working with people in districts.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ERiccardo Coletta, SUPERSHINE\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe triggers include low incomes, high fuel costs and poorly insulated buildings. In 2022, more than\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/markets-and-consumers\/energy-consumer-rights\/energy-poverty_en\u0022\u003E9%\u003C\/a\u003E of Europeans were unable to keep their homes adequately warm, according to the EU.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018When we talk about energy poverty, we have to think not only about how you buy energy and its sources but also about how to use it efficiently,\u2019 said Riccardo Coletta, a senior project manager at the Agency for the Promotion of European Research in the Italian capital Rome.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe leads SUPERSHINE, which is creating model city districts characterised by energy-efficient buildings and smart electricity grids. Trieste acts as a test case along with Herning in Denmark and Riga in Latvia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project will later examine how these models can be applied in four other participating cities: Set\u00fabal in Portugal, Belgrade in Serbia, Zaragoza in Spain and Istanbul in Turkey.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe locations chosen all have a large number of social-housing buildings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These places should inspire other districts to work in the same direction,\u2019 said Coletta. \u2018We need to look at the bigger picture by working with people in districts and find a way to give them tools and money to keep interventions maintained.\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ultimate goal is to create energy communities in which residents are fully involved in decisions about the environment in which they live, homes are more sustainable and the surrounding areas have greater aesthetic appeal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Trieste, the project covers 16 dwellings arranged over four storeys in each of the eight buildings. Planned improvements include rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient lighting and thermal doors and windows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAround the buildings, potential additions include gardens with areas for growing food, community parks and recreational spaces. To reduce the risk of flooding and the load on urban-drainage systems, the planners are considering vegetated buffer zones and pavements made with permeable materials. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe works are due to be completed by the end of 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EService hubs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe really have to increase renovations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EAna Tisov, Save the Homes\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost homes and buildings in the EU are decades old, needing renovation to achieve the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/energy-efficiency\/energy-efficient-buildings\/energy-performance-buildings-directive_en\u0022\u003EEU\u2019s goal\u003C\/a\u003E of a zero-emission building stock by 2050.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome 85% of EU buildings were built before 2000. Of those, an estimated 75% have poor energy performance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUpgrading Europe\u2019s building stock can be bolstered by independent service hubs offering property owners and residents technical advice and funding information about renovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA separate EU-funded project developed such hubs \u2013 called one-stop shops \u2013 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Valencia in Spain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalled\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/892749\u0022\u003ESave the Homes\u003C\/a\u003E, the project wrapped up in February 2024 after three and a half years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EValencia, Rotterdam showcases\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Valencia, Save the Homes established 27 one-stop shops. It also assessed the homes of around 1 600 people in the city for energy-efficient or renewable renovations, many of which have now been completed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Rotterdam, the project carried out renovations on 33 homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndertaken by building contractors in the two cities, the renovations included installing energy-efficient insulation under the floor and in the walls and photovoltaic panels on the roof. The result was average energy savings of 50% to 60%. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We really have to increase renovations,\u2019 said Ana Tisov, who led Save the Homes and is a project manager at Dutch engineering and building consultancy Huygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe said the project sought to help increase the number of homes undertaking renovations for energy efficiency to 5% a year from 1% currently.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETisov said approaches need to be tailored to particular places because, even as their overall objective is the same, local conditions differ.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERaising people\u2019s awareness of the benefit of renovations, for instance, was a bigger challenge \u2013 and more of a focus \u2013 for the project in Valencia than in Rotterdam.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a further example, Tisov said the housing stock is more uniform in the Netherlands than in Slovenia, making mass renovations on Dutch homes easier.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018You cannot directly copy and paste,\u2019 she said. \u2018Vulnerable groups and building stock are not the same in Slovenia as those in the Netherlands.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-bg-bluelightest tw-p-12 tw-my-12 tw--mx-16\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\u0022tw-font-sans tw-font-bold tw-text-blue tw-uppercase tw-text-lg tw-mb-8\u0022\u003ENew European Bauhaus\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-inline-block tw-w-1\/6 tw-h-1 tw-bg-blue tw-mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EA century after it emerged in Germany, the Bauhaus school of art, architecture and design is getting a rebirth in Europe in a bid to improve urban life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu\/index_en\u0022\u003ENew European Bauhaus\u003C\/a\u003E (NEB) aims to help cities across the EU become less polluting and more attractive through artistic, cultural and technological projects reaching many millions of residents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInitiated by the European Commission in 2020, the NEB has three prime goals: reduce environmental harm including climate change, tackle social inequalities such as exclusion and spruce up public areas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChanging the design and use of urban spaces and structures is central to the whole undertaking, with sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics shaping the overall vision.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile serving policy goals set at EU level, the NEB relies on bottom-up initiatives undertaken by a range of people and organisations. These include city dwellers, artistic groups, architectural experts and local businesses, authorities and students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch is a main feature of the NEB, with\u0026nbsp;almost\u0026nbsp;\u20ac160 million for EU projects in 2021-2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-opdcy-t4t82qkslqca7ma-zeujbk2zw4q9xrkbqsqne\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-OPDCy-t4T82QKslqcA7ma-zEujBK2zw4Q9XRkBqSQnE\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]