ComActivate responds to growing levels of energy poverty across the EU, especially in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, by addressing the poor energy efficiency of buildings as a major driver of energy poverty, and as a driver of climate change.

ComActivate will be implemented in three municipalities in three countries: Burgas in Bulgaria, Józsefváros in Hungary and Kaišiadorys in Lithuania. These countries are situated in different regions of Europe facing different climatic challenges, yet they have similar characteristics due to their shared Socialist history and the large privatisation of the housing stock in the 1990s.

Around 60% of people in CEE live in Multi-Family Apartment Buildings (MFABs) and the social, technical, legislative, and financial challenges to renovate such buildings are very complex, especially when it comes to renewable energies. ComActivate will develop, demonstrate and advocate solutions for MFABs that reduce energy poverty, enhance energy security, and bring building emissions in line with climate targets (near complete decarbonisation by 2050) through:

1. Institutionalizing resource centres: Local resource centres will serve as hubs for engaging with energy poor communities and facilitating agreements within Homeowner Associations.
2. Developing Neighbourhood Energy Sufficiency Roadmaps: These roadmaps will address the complexities of renewable energies for multi-family apartment buildings, ensuring energy needs are met while advancing poverty alleviation and climate neutrality goals.
3. Building capacity and raising awareness: ComActivate will empower managers of homeowners associations with the knowledge and skills needed for energy-efficient renovations while raising awareness about the benefits of such initiatives within local communities.
4. Establishing policy and investment dialogues: By fostering multi-stakeholder dialogues at both the national and EU levels, ComActivate aims to ensure the sustainability of resources centres and the successful implementation of Neighbourhood Energy Sufficiency Roadmaps.

Project partners include:

• Nadacia Habitat for Humanity International – project leader
• Metropolitan Research Institute
• Jozsefvaros municipality, Budapest, Hungary
• Buildings Performance Institute Europe
• Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO)
• Centre for Energy Efficiency EnEffect
• Kaisiadorys Municipality, Lithuania
• Burgas Municipality, Bulgaria
• Eko Invest
• Lithuanian Consumers Alliance
• Habitat for Humanity Macedonia – Associated partner

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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.