A majority of buildings in North-West Europe are still energy-inefficient and in need of deep renovation.
Even though local governments are tackling climate change, the building sector remains a weak point. If action in this field is not reinforced, local governments will be locked in a high carbon future. Condominiums (tenements and flatted buildings) are an important area. By directing efforts towards co-owned residential buildings, a large number of private owners at once can benefit from more energy efficient homes, reduced energy bills and carbon footprint (50-70%).
Through the ACE Retrofitting project local governments learn to act as facilitators between co-owners and building experts.
Energy Cities, the European city network, along with six local authorities from five different countries design a method and governance framework that will help overcome the legal, human and financial barriers that are currently hindering energy retrofitting of condominiums.
Inspired by...
CoachCopro, a free, online collaborative tool developed by the Paris Climate Agency (Agence Parisienne du Climat), is central to this strategy and will be improved and adapted to be used in other parts of Europe.
In France, this web-based platform has already successfully assisted condominium owners (demand) and building professionals (supply) through an iterative process which cultivates trust relationships and generates direct and indirect jobs (potentially 19 net jobs created per €1M investment). More in "Resources".
It's all about collective power
Annemarie Van Zeijl works at the Sustainability Institute of Maastricht University. She knows a lot about stakeholder processes, especially when it comes to energy retrofitting in condominiums. A project run by several co-owners can be fun. At the same time, it is also a challenge to bring different interests together. Annemarie explains how co-owners can collectively make their building more energy efficient.
The Step-by-Step tool developed in the framework of the ACE-Retrofitting project is an important help in this process.
Suggestions?
For any query or suggestion regarding condominium stories, please contact our communications expert Miriam Eisermann.
Interreg NWE 2021-2027: check the list of call 2 step 1 approved projects
Posted on 21-04-2023
27 projects from the Interreg NWE 2021-2027 call 2 step 1 were approved by the Monitoring Committee in a meeting on 20-21 April 2023 in Lille, France.
Read more
Interview with David Grzegorzewski
Posted on 04-04-2023
Get to know David Grzegorzewski who took over the role of Programme Director for Interreg NWE on 1st March 2023.
Read more
The transnational exchange of experiences through the ACE-Retrofitting project has allowed cities to be inspired and to jointly design innovative renovation coaching services. Yesterday’s online conference and European Users Club shed light on the learnings from this EU-funded (Interreg NWE) project. The over 100 participants who stayed connected during this almost 3-hours event are a strong witness of the increasing interest by public authorities and research institutes for this subject. Read More
Condominiums must be recognised in policy as a specific building type that presents opportunities and challenges for deep retrofit. Without this recognition in policy, ambitions in the European Green Deal for building renovation will not be met. Through these recommendations, partners from the EU-funded ACE-Retrofitting project share their policy learnings on how to act as facilitators between co-owners and building experts. Read More
How can local and national governments accelerate energy retrofitting in condominiums? This article sums up the answers that were given during the conference debates on November 22 in Brussels. Read More
Experience of retrofit across the UK shows that flawed energy efficiency schemes are quite recurring. Plymouth City Council is a good example of how a trusted relationship between the public authority and its residents can improve dialogue and buy-in. A recent study visit to Plymouth in the framework of the EU project "mPower" allowed us to discover how the city connects with its local community. Read More
The German city of Frankfurt am Main recently launched an online platform for the renovation of condominiums as part of the Interreg-NWE ACE-Retrofitting project.
The platform is strongly inspired by the successful collaborative web tool CoachCopro developed by the Paris Climate Agency in 2005. Thanks to this new platform, about 200 000 residents could benefit from an energy retrofit in their condominiums! Read More
The ACE meter communicates the results reached by the partner cities in terms of owners and professionals coached, retrofitting achieved and carbon emissions reduced. Read More
On Friday 23 March the ACE-Retrofitting project was invited to Oxford to explore with researchers the challenges associated with decision-making in the context of making energy upgrades and installation of renewable energy technologies in apartment blocks. Read More
"My home has no door, my home has no roof. My home has no windows. It ain’t water proof" sings French singer Camille in her song "Home Is Where It Hurts". What if we’d be more positive and say "home is where you renovate"? There are lots of great solutions out there! Read More
Low Carbon Housing Tampere Plus (TARMO+) is a three-year ERDF funded project run by the energy agency of Tampere for the promotion of low-energy and carbon solutions in residential housing. It mainly focuses on strengthening cooperation between all stakeholders on the territory. Read More
Municipalities and regions have a key role to play in the energy retrofit of condominiums. During this interactive event which is closing the ACE-Retrofitting project, partners will share their learnings. Read More
During this webinar (11-12:00), an expert from the Paris Climate Agency will explain how and why expected and achieved energy performance often differ. And he will present ways to correct current renovation procedures in condominiums. Read More
In many European Member States, the 3% renovation rate will only be achieved if policies also focus on collective renovation. Fortunately, valuable experience from the ground with a specific focus on multi-apartment buildings exists. During a one-day conference in Brussels, the six pilot cities that are part of the Interreg-NWE-funded ACE-Retrofitting project shed light on opportunities and challenges when it comes to supporting retrofit projects in condominiums. Read More
Maastricht's Condominium EnergyService "VvE Energiebalie Maastricht" will be launched on 15 June. All local condominium owners are invited tio attend. Read More
At this conference, Scottish local authorities and the Scottish Government shared their experiences on how to encourage and enable energy efficiency retrofits. Speakers outlined the current and future policies and how these will affect all buildings within Scotland. Read More
14:00-15:00 CET
Partners in the ACE-Retrofitting project are seeking to support municipalities in launching energy retrofitting strategies for condominiums.
They developed a range of tools that notably help municipalities make the link between the demand side (co-owners, trustees, etc.) and the supply side (professionals).
The “Step-by-Step” toolkit provides 17 specific soft and hard tools to accompany co-owners on the road to condominium energy retrofitting. It is divided into three main complementary phases:
1. The “first step” allows the co-owners to explore the idea of leading an energy retrofit in their building.
2. The “taking-off step” deals with the activities to be developed until the vote for retrofitting.
3. The “real thing step” is related to the start of the energy retrofitting work itself. Read More
At this conference, you will discover the outlines of the urban and energy policy of the city of Antwerp. Learn how a local government can collaborate with syndics, home-owners associations and construction professionals to boost energy retrofitting of condominiums / multi-appartment dwellings! Read More
Le 10e Salon Indépendant de la Copropriété se tiendra les 17 et 18 octobre 2018 à l’Espace Charenton situé à Paris dans le 12e arrondissement. Read More
Venez visiter un chantier en cours sur une copropriété des Trente Glorieuses dans le quartier Popincourt (11ème) en chauffage collectif gaz, qui a opté pour une démarche énergétique et architecturale ambitieuse. Read More
It takes some courage for condominium co-owners to plan or carry out an energy retrofitting in their building. The ACE step-by-step tool is there to make things easier.
If you are from a public authority, wishing to support co-owners in their endeavour, do not hesitate to spread the guide amongst your city's condominiums.
The guide is divided into three big phases: “First steps”, “Taking-off” and “The real thing”. All together, the guide counts 17 helpful items for soft and hard measures:
14 documents are ready-to-use
3 documents are designed in a way as to be adapted by a public body, esp. regarding legal and financial issues, according to the local and national context.
Keep in mind that there is no unique starting point or strict order to use the items. However, it makes sense for co-owners to define at what stage of the building retrofitting process their project is before going to a specific section of the guide.
You can start with the summary (PPT) which links you to the various items that are available (in Word and Excel).
🏡 Step-by-Step tool in English
This tool shall help condominium co-owners getting an insight into all steps that are necessary to make an energy retrofitting project come true.
FIRST STEPS
Why and how to start or further an energy retrofitting project?
What makes the ACE concept so special, is the global approach to condominium retrofitting. Guidance is provided both to homeowners (demand) and professionals (supply). Connecting them with each other is key to success. Online platforms have proven very useful for such a matchmaking.
Browse through the online platforms that ACE partners use for accelerating condominium retrofittings:
In addition to the very practicalstep-by-step tool, you can find here useful reports and information about follower cities having joined the condominium support movement.
🏡 Your guide to boost condominium retrofits
Through this guide, partners from the EU-funded ACE Retrofitting project share their learnings on how to act as facilitators between co-owners and building experts. If you are working in a public (local or regional) authority or in an energy agency, the insights given will help you improve your work with condominiums.
There are common success factors and the publication provides an overview of them, illustrated by very practical examples from the six pilot cities. It also describes pitfalls that other beginner local authorities should avoid when starting a condominium retrofit strategy or policy.
🏡 REPORT: Key policy recommendations for EU, national and regional policy makers (2020)
Condominiums must be recognised in policy as a specific building type that presents opportunities and challenges for deep retrofit. Without this recognition in policy, ambitions in the European Green Deal for building renovation will not be met.
🏡 REPORT: Financial Solutions for Condominium Retrofitting (2018)
This report covers the financial perspective of retrofits for condominiums. It helps local authorities to stimulate energy efficient retrofits of condominiums. Thus, it examines the landscape of available financial tools. The outcome is summarized in two flowcharts that guide local authorities on how to potentially support condominiums and guide owners on how to approach the financing decision. In addition, several financing tools, examples, and innovative solutions are presented, allowing local authorities to select their own solution or to study these further.
Want to launch a retrofit policy for condominiums in your local administration?
A municipal department taht wants to provide retrofit support to homeowners in multi-apartment dwellings cannot do this out of the blue. It requires a political decision. This helps to kick-start the definition of targets and measures and to provide the public service with adequate human and financial resources.
By signing the ACE Retrofitting Charter, a city commits to creating such favorable conditions for condominium retrofits. The voluntary self-commitment brings you closer to the stakeholder networks in your country which are experience in the field.
🏡 Download and sign the charter so that your local administration commits itself to:
Stimulating the acceleration of condominiums energy retrofitting in our territory
Issuing a plan or strategy to speed up retrofitting of condominiums in our territory
Working simultaneously on demand and supply by facilitating and linking them Exchange experience with other local authorities in Europe
ACE is about smoothing energy retrofit projects. But beyond collaborative processes, we also want to achieve impactful results.
That is why, every six months, the ACE meter reports the results reached by the project partner cities: How many owners and professionals have been coached? How many co-owner groups started retrofitting their building and how much carbon did they save?
Choose your language below the infographics and check out below where the condominiums in ACE partner cities currently stand.
By the way, the infographics can also be dowloaded in:
Every six months, the ACE meter reports the results reached by the project partner cities: How many owners and professionals have been coached? How many co-owner groups started retrofitting their building and how much carbon did they save?
Last update: July 2020
Co-owners coached
Professionals coached
Retrofitting plans voted
Retrofitting in progress: condominiums/flats
Retrofitting finished: condominiums/flats
Annual decrease of CO2 emissions in tonnes
Antwerpen
Belgium
11297
388
8
64/3608
2600
Frankfurt
Germany
3850
591
19
6/556
4/398
35
Liège
Belgium
1741
255
7
16/620
15/188
1616
Maastricht
Netherlands
609
81
6
2/155
5/382
89
Paris
France
62505
2711
247
217/5205
248/5955
5046
Aberdeen
UK
734
69
35/284
178
TOTAL
80.736
4026
356
241/6536
371/10815
9564
👍 Français
Tous les six mois, le “ACE mètre” reporte les résultats atteints par les villes partenaires du projet: Combien de propriétaires et de professionnels ont été coachés? Combien de copropriétés ont réalisé une rénovation et combien de CO2 ont-ils ainsi économisé?
Dernière mise à jour: juillet 2020
Diminution annuelle des émissions de CO2 (en tonnes)
Anvers
Belgique
11297
388
8
64/3608
2600
Francfort
Allemagne
3850
591
19
6/556
4/398
35
Liège
Belgique
1741
255
7
16/620
15/188
1616
Maastricht
Pays-Bas
609
81
6
2/155
5/382
89
Paris
France
62505
2711
247
217/5205
248/5955
5046
Aberdeen
UK
69
35/284
178
TOTAL
80736
4026
356
241/6536
371/10815
9564
👍 Deutsch
Der ACE-Zähler liefert alle sechs Monate die Ergebnisse der Projektpartnerstädte. Wieviele Eigentümer und Fachleute wurden geschult? Wieviele Wohneigentümergemeinschaften haben eine Sanierung begonnen und CO2-Einsparungen zu verzeichnen?
Letztes Update: Juli 2020
Geschulte Eigentümer
Geschulte Fachleute
Beschlossene Sanierungspläne
Sanierungen in Umsetzung: WEG / Wohneinheiten
Abgeschlossene Sanierungen: WG /Wohneinheiten
Jährliche CO2-Reduktion (in Tonnen)
Antwerpen
Belgien
11297
388
8
64/3608
2600
Frankfurt
Deutschland
3850
591
19
6/556
4/398
35
Lüttich
Belgien
1741
255
7
16/620
15/188
1616
Maastricht
Niederlande
609
81
6
2/155
5/382
89
Paris
Frankreich
62505
2711
247
217/5205
248/5955
5046
Aberdeen
UK
734
69
35/284
178
TOTAL
80.736
4026
356
241/6536
371/10815
9564
👍 Nederlands
De ACE-meter presenteert de resultaten die door de partnersteden zijn bereikt op het gebied van gecoachte eigenaren en professionals, gerealiseerde verduurzamingsmaatregelen en CO2-reductie
Update: juli 2020
Gecoachte mede-eigenaren
Gecoachte professionals
Verduurzamingsplannen vastgesteld door ALV
Duurzame renovaties in uitvoering: appartementen/flats
In addition to the very practical step-by-step tool, below you can find inspirational material to boost energy retrofitting of condominiums in your area.
Guidance and match-making through an interactive platform: Paris, France
Béatrice Bienenfeld works at the Paris Climate Agency (APC). The APC has developed a tool calledCoachCoprothat facilitates energy retrofit projects. In this video (in French), Béatrice explains how this tool and platform brings homeowners and professionals together. The Step-by-Step tool developed in the framework of the ACE-Retrofitting project has been inspired by the CoachCopro and is an important help in such an endeavour.
Guidance through a Renovation Masterplan: Antwerp, Belgium
The city of Antwerp offers residents of apartment buildings of at least 20 years old, with at least 20 residential units a premium to make their building future-proof in a planned way.
From insulation or asbestos abatement to deep renovations in condominiums: Liège, Belgium
The city of Liège has carried out various retrofit works in condominiums. Each case study describes the works carried out as well as the funding and players that made the renovation possible.
A forward-looking master plan for BRABO I: Antwerp, Belgium
In order to make it easier for apartment dwellers to make their building energetically renovate, the city developed a toolbox containing a type specification for a master plan study.
New heat for an existing apartment building: Antwerp, Belgium Since May 2018, the heat for the New South district of Antwerp is no longer generated for each individual building, but is generated centrally for several buildings.
Facade renovation at the intersection of public and private: Antwerp, Belgium
In 2014, a facade renovation of the ’T Hooghe Huys was carried out. For that purpose, a technical committee was set up within the VME with the aim of managing the execution of the works. The VME always had a strong vision around saving, which resulted in a reserve fund.
Setting up a One-Stop-Shop: Frederikshavn, Denmark
Learn how the municipality of Frederikshavn worked with partners to set up a One-Stop-Shop to encourage owners to start energy retrofitting and assist them throughout the process.
In this case study, you will learn how the City of Tartu and the Tartu Regional Energy Agency worked with residents to retrofit condominiums in order to increase energy efficiency and housing comfort.
The City of Tampere has been actively supporting condominiums (limited liability housing companies) with “Energy Expert” training courses since 2000. Between 2015 and 2017, this activity was supported by the Low Carbon Housing Tampere Plus (TARMO+) project. The aim of this project has been to make housing companies in this region think about how to be energy efficient in line with the 2025 city strategy
Stakeholder involvement as local relays and experts - the Ecoreno’v advisory service: Greater Lyon, France
Greater Lyon, gathering 59 municipalities, has developed a comprehensive large scale energy retrofitting programme. Based on strong and trustful collaboration between complementary public institutions and the commitment of local private actors, the Ecoreno’v service already provided, over a four years period - advice, tools and financial support to retrofit 5 000 condominium apartments.
Co-designing the retrofitting process - the Sharing Cities method: Milano, Italy
Since the project started, 942 families have actively participated through 12 co-design meetings and supported by 7 institutional visits. 24 000m² have been retrofitted which has resulted in a total reduction of 470 000 kg CO2 and a total energy savings of up to 52%. Learn more about how they did!
Easing condominium retrofits through a one-stop-shop: Riga, Latvia
In line with its political commitments, the Riga Energy Agency, a municipal entity of the city of Riga, took part in the INNOVATE project, an EU Horizon 2020 project that aimed at setting up a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) to provide information on energy renovation for citizens.
Everything started in one street: Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
The municipality of Santa Coloma de Gramenet near Barcelona has launched an energy retrofitting programme called Renovem Barris in the south and central-south neighbourhoods of the city. This plan is still in deployment and involves a population of approximately 60 000 inhabitants.
Condominiums contributing to the 2050 goal: Maastricht, The Netherlands
Under the flag of #missionzeromaastricht, the Dutch city of Maastricht is working on an energy-efficient city. Making apartment complexes energy efficient and sustainable is part of that ambition. This case study describes the steps owners associations are taking to contribute to a climate neutral Maastricht in 2050.
The 220,000 residents of Aberdeen live in 107,000 properties. Many of them are not energy efficient. Heat losses are very important. How can we make them more energy efficient?
Telford Road, fully-funded retrofit of two mixed-tenure blocks: Edinburgh, UK
The main measure installed was external wall insulation across two blocks of flats. Both blocks were mixed tenure, a combination of social rented, private rented and owner-occupied properties. All the retrofit measures for this project were fully funded, and residents did not have to contribute. Changeworks acted as an intermediary throughout the process, and led the funding application.
The refurbishment works were undertaken by Oxford City Council and included a mix of general repair and maintenance, various improvement works for aes¬thetic and safety reasons, as well as significant energy efficiency upgrades, notably the installation of external wall insulation across all five blocks.
Wilmcote House, a ‘whole building’ EnerPHit standard retrofit: Portsmouth, UK
Wilmcote House had significant maintenance issues, and many residents were living in fuel poverty. Due to the cost and disturbance to residents, the Council decided against the demolition of Wilmcote House, and instead an ambitious retrofit project was undertaken.
External wall insulation at Raeburn Heights tower block: Glenrothes, UK
Raeburn Heights is 15 storeys high and has 61 individual self-contained 2-bedroom, electrically heated flats. The refurbishment works were undertaken by the council and included external wall insulation, ground floor upgrades, asbestos removal and health and safety upgrades.
