Energy Poverty Zero (EP-0)

Supporting progress towards deep energy retrofit in district, scaling up to fight energy poverty

It is estimated that over 34 million people in the European Union are experiencing energy poverty both in individual and collective housing. Energy Poverty Zero (EP-0) project’ main objective is to support progress toward scale up of deep energy retrofit in vulnerable district to fight energy poverty by combining existing efforts on energy poor people support, one-stop-shops, deep-energy retrofit industrialization and district-based dynamics. We do believe that it is key to develop an approach that will allow to connect efforts performed to diminish cost of deep energy retrofit in social housing with industrialised prefabricated solutions with the private housing market. EP-0 aims at bridging and building on existing initiatives, including the ones of the EU transnational open-source movement “EnergieSprong” that aims at supporting price decrease of deep energy retrofit solutions, using prefab elements. Indeed, EP-0 will work to develop “industrialized retrofit potential” assessment tools for cities to better assess their potential scaling and replicability district per district, to deploy district energy retrofit compass with inhabitants, transcribing for citizen what different action would imply in terms of cost-benefit and comfort, and to assess relevance of collective buy-in scheme for citizens and housing organizations. To achieve EP-0 objectives, a multidisciplinary team has been put up, involving public authorities, housing organisations, businesses (including SME) and foundation. This consortium experience, expertise and knowledge of what is happening on an everyday basis “for real” is key to address zero energy poverty and zero energy district in matter of energy transition, energy efficiency, social inclusion, housing and sustainable district lead approach.