EU-funded project to pilot collective self-retrofit to reduce energy poverty and support fair renovation across Europe
Rotterdam, 12 January 2026 — LIFE Renew it, a European project funded by the EU’s LIFE Programme, has officially launched. Over the next 36 months, the project will pilot collective self-retrofit models in neighbourhoods across several EU countries, including France (Besançon), Spain (Centelles and Getafe) and Germany (Berlin), actively involving residents in renovating their homes to make deep renovation more affordable, inclusive and socially embedded.
Across Europe, 34 million people face high energy bills and poor housing conditions, while municipalities and housing providers struggle to deliver renovation at the speed and scale required. LIFE Renew it addresses this challenge by combining technical expertise with residents’ active participation, linking climate action with social inclusion.
Over the next three years, LIFE Renew it aims to:
- Pilot collective self-retrofit approaches in multiple EU countries
- Reduce energy bills and improve comfort for households affected by energy poverty
- Equip residents with new skills and a stronger sense of ownership over their homes
- Support municipalities and housing providers in delivering fair and affordable renovation
- Generate practical insights and policy recommendations for the EU Renovation Wave
“Renovation is not only about buildings – it is about people,” says Deborah Knight, Project Coordinator at Ressorts, one of the project’s 19 consortium partners. “By working with residents as partners, LIFE Renew it shows how renovation can improve lives while helping cities meet their climate goals.”
A human-first approach to renovation
At the core of LIFE Renew it is a simple principle: the energy transition will only succeed if people are included and empowered.
In LIFE Renew it, self-retrofit means that residents contribute time, effort and newly acquired skills to the renovation of their homes, while architects, engineers and craftsmen ensure technical quality, safety and planning. Local authorities and housing providers co-design renovation processes with communities, tailoring solutions to local needs.
For residents, this approach can deliver warmer and healthier homes, lower energy bills, new green skills and a stronger sense of belonging. For municipalities and housing providers, it offers a way to reach households that are often hardest to engage, while strengthening social cohesion and delivering climate targets.
From local pilots to European learning
The LIFE Renew it consortium brings together 18 partners from five EU countries, including municipalities, social housing organisations, construction SMEs, training centres and community initiatives. Together, they will develop practical tools and governance models that can be replicated in other cities and regions.
The 18 partners are:
- France: Ressorts, Filao Labs, Red Cat Architecture, Loge GBM and City of Besançon.
- Spain: Creara, Impact Hub, City of Getafe ESMV and City of Centelles.
- Germany: OHKW Klimajobs and Depact
- Netherlands: Energiesprong Global Alliance, Bureau door, Endule and Bureau de Haan
- Latvia: Ēkubirojs, Labeef and RTU.
By linking social inclusion with energy renovation, LIFE Renew it contributes to the EU Green Deal and the Renovation Wave, supporting a just and people-centred energy transition.
About LIFE Renew it
LIFE Renew it is a three-year project funded by the EU’s LIFE Programme. Its mission is to develop and test collective self-retrofit models that help households escape energy poverty and enable affordable, inclusive renovation at neighbourhood scale.
Renew it was developed in response to the LIFE call “Alleviating household energy poverty in Europe” and selected for EU funding under the LIFE Programme.
Contact details
Email: media@ekubirojs.lv
Web: https://www.energiesprong.org/projects/renew-it
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
