On Tuesday, September 24, BUILD UP, in collaboration with the ConnectHeat project, hosted a webinar on “Thermal Communities and Citizen-Led Initiatives for Sustainable Buildings” co-organized with FEDARENE, Ambiente Italia, and Euroheat & Power. The session highlighted ConnectHeat’s role in raising awareness on thermal communities, exploring various models, and presenting the current EU policy framework on energy communities.
Riccardo Battisti, Senior Project Manager at Ambiente Italia and ConnectHeat coordinator, introduced the project, emphasising its alignment with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) and its goal of establishing seven pilot cases, alongside position papers and roadmaps to bridge legislative gaps.
In the second session, Aurore Dudka from the University of Trento discussed the transition of district heating systems to fossil-free models, underscoring the need for flexibility and user engagement.
Magdalena Berberich from Solites shared Germany’s Breitenholz thermal community example, a district heating project with 100% renewable energy, while Asma Sohail, also from Solites, presented a pilot case from Stuttgart focusing on the inclusion of low-income households in a culturally diverse community.
The webinar concluded with an interactive Q&A, addressing citizen engagement and the integration of low-income households in thermal community initiatives.
Catch up on the webinar by viewing the recording below!
