PRESS RELEASE: REHOUSE drives people-oriented renovation processes through social innovation and is committed to social equality

REHOUSE, an EU co-funded project under Horizon Europe, integrates social innovation into building renovation processes, ensuring inclusivity and sustainability. With a focus on meeting the needs of end-users such as owners, renters and tenants, the REHOUSE consortium drives energy efficiency and social equity while combating energy poverty in four demonstration sites across Europe.

In REHOUSE, significant progress has been made toward the goal of delivering renovation processes that are people-centered. By combining innovative Renovation Packages with innovative social approaches, the project places the well-being of end-users and the active involvement of stakeholders at its core. This ensures the creation of sustainable, energy-efficient buildings designed to meet the needs of everyone, with a special focus on supporting vulnerable populations.

REHOUSE demonstrates its commitment to social equity, sustainability, and energy efficiency by addressing the specific needs of vulnerable groups and fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders. Through a people-centred approach, the project paves the way for renovation processes that are not only environmentally sustainable but also socially inclusive.

Key activities on social innovation include:

  • Creating local social task forces to design tailored and inclusive renovation strategies.
  • Identifying social requisites and drivers through collaborative sessions with stakeholders.
  • Designing co-creation workshops, peer-learning events, and other social activities to validate solutions.
  • Implementing a Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) plan to evaluate the social impact of renovation processes throughout their entire lifecycle.

Initial activities focused on establishing social task forces at the four demonstration sites to promote collaboration among manufacturers, service providers, researchers, public authorities, building occupants (owners, renters, tenants), and civil society representatives. These task forces aim to support inclusive and tailored Renovation Packages that enhance energy efficiency and combat energy poverty with particular attention to the needs of vulnerable groups.

Through an interactive and collaborative process, the needs of end users were captured to shape the final demonstration of innovative REHOUSE technologies. This ensures that the proposed solutions integrate seamlessly into the daily lives of building users. Based on local needs and stakeholder input, REHOUSE developed social activities such as co-design workshops, peer learning events and serious energy games to validate and improve the proposed renovation solutions.

A Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) plan was developed for each demonstration site to assess the social impact of the renovation packages throughout their life cycle – from planning to demolition.

Now, REHOUSE is ready to advance to the next phase, deploying the social innovation strategies defined during the project’s initial stages through the construction processes at the demonstration sites. The active involvement of the Social Task Forces remains crucial, ensuring that the renovation activities continue to align with the diverse needs of stakeholders, promote inclusivity, and enhance the overall social impact of the project.

Available public reports

Five comprehensive public reports documenting these advancements are now accessible on the REHOUSE website under the Publications section: Publications – REHOUSE

These include for social innovation:

Analysis of social innovation activities for retrofitting projects (D1.1)

Social situation of the 4 local contexts (D1.2)

Report of social requirements identified in the elicitation activities (D1.3)

Design of social activities tailored to the local contexts (D1.4)

Social Life Cycle Assessment Plan (S-LCA) for the 4 local contexts (D1.5)

Italian demonstration site Margherita di Savoia

Pictures and Videos of social innovation actions at the Italian demonstration site (in Italian language): https://www.media.enea.it/comunicati-e-news/archivio-anni/anno-2024/energia-progetto-rehouse-al-via-riqualificazione-in-puglia-di-edificio-popolare.html

For more information on REHOUSE and its progress, visit the project website: REHOUSE – Accelerating the European renovation rate

Contact:

REHOUSE has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101079951. Swiss partners are supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

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