At a residents’ association meeting, a single quote for façade insulation can raise familiar questions: how much will it actually cost, who should we turn to, and will the bank finance the work? Often, the answer is “let’s discuss it another time”. This helps explain why, in Europe, where more than 220 million buildings were built before 2001 and most will still be in use in 2050, only around 1% undergo energy renovation each year.
OSSential was created to address these challenges. On 22 October, the European project opened its two-day kick-off meeting at Spazio Profumo in Milan with the workshop “Experiencing a 360° One Stop Shop”, bringing together partners, institutions and stakeholders. Its aim is to offer households, residents’ associations and businesses a single, clear pathway from the initial decision to the completion of renovation works.
A single point of contact connecting public services and private providers
Why is energy renovation struggling to gain momentum? Those working in the sector know the answer. Households and residents’ associations face uncertain costs, administrative hurdles and fragmented technical and financial services. Banks struggle to assess the risks and expected performance of renovation measures. Small and medium-sized construction companies, whose strong local presence makes them essential, often lack standardised tools for managing complex procedures.
OSSential addresses this by developing a comprehensive One Stop Shop, where private providers help complete processes supported by public bodies, working closely with institutions. The service guides building owners from their initial decision through access to financing and the completion of the works. Its distinctive feature is integration: instead of placing disconnected public services and private offerings side by side, the project brings them into a single delivery process, with one point of contact and shared rules.
The approach creates a positive cycle: standardised processes reduce technical and delivery risks. Lower risks allow banks to offer more competitive financing. Businesses benefit from steadier, more predictable workflows, while owners gain greater certainty over timelines and financial returns.
Data and digital tools to plan renovation measures
The approach is based on evidence rather than assumptions. It includes surveys of businesses and local authorities to identify actual barriers, the development of building and customer archetypes, and energy assessments tailored to climate zones and actual consumption.
These findings will feed into OSSential Navigator, a digital tool designed to support One Stop Shop staff by turning building energy performance data into tailored, transparent and financially viable renovation plans. Navigator will help them assess alternatives, define renovation measures and support their implementation.
Five buildings to test the model in Italy
Italy has one of Europe’s oldest building stocks, and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) calls for decisive action to address this. Across Europe, most existing buildings will still be in use in 2050, while the annual energy renovation rate remains around 1%.
Italy has one of Europe’s oldest building stocks, and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) calls for decisive action to address this. Across Europe, most existing buildings will still be in use in 2050, while the annual energy renovation rate remains around 1%.
For local authorities, One Stop Shops can become a practical energy policy tool. For construction and real estate professionals, they offer a clearer delivery process, with better-informed clients and projects that are easier to finance.
In Italy, the model will be tested on five residential buildings, three apartment blocks and two single-family homes, with support from two associated partners: the Municipality of Parma for local governance, and Crédit Agricole Italia for the financial aspects. This experience will inform guidelines that can be replicated in other Italian regions and, potentially, other European countries.
The Milan kick-off: two days of discussion and planning
On 22 October, OSSential opened its two-day kick-off meeting at Spazio Profumo in Milan with the workshop “Experiencing a 360° One Stop Shop”, attended by partners, institutions and stakeholders.
Following opening remarks from Milan’s Councillor for the Environment and Green Spaces, project coordinator Harley&Dikkinson introduced the consortium’s objectives, structured around four key areas.
The first was the energy transition policy framework, with contributions from the Municipality of Parma and RENAEL, Italy’s national network of local energy agencies. The second was finance as an enabler, with perspectives from Crédit Agricole Italia, HD Esg and the Covered Bond and Mortgage Council. The third was encouraging positive behaviour, covering behavioural tools, the non-energy impacts of renovation and the role of communication.
The second day focused on practical planning, giving partners time to refine the work ahead and consolidate the activities to be carried out in the next phases.
R2M Solution’s contribution
R2M Solution brings its combined expertise as an engineering and innovation consultancy to the consortium. It has worked within European research programmes for many years, developing expertise in technology transfer, building sustainability and financially viable business models.
Its role in OSSential is to bridge European research and the market. This means translating the technical requirements of energy efficiency into reliable One Stop Shop services, helping tools such as Navigator become part of the everyday work of banks, businesses and local authorities.
It also means translating ESG criteria into tangible economic value, reducing investment risks and accelerating the uptake of deep renovation. This responsibility was reflected in R2M Solution’s contribution to the kick-off, which explored how communication can help deliver results: for a project to work, the people who will use it need to understand it.
Next steps
The Milan kick-off marked a first step and delivered a clear message: energy renovation is a challenge that can be addressed by integrating services and expertise. OSSential aims to do this by bringing together public authorities, banks, businesses and citizens.
Over the coming months, the consortium will focus on developing the tools, engaging local stakeholders and testing the model through the pilot cases. The aim is to assess how technical expertise, services and financial tools can be integrated into a coordinated pathway that can be adapted to different contexts and replicated beyond the initial pilots.
Public bodies and industry professionals interested in following the project or contributing to its network are welcome to connect!
OSSential is co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme.
