The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires EU member states to plan renovation beyond individual buildings and adopt a neighbourhood-based approach. In practice, that means municipalities, Resource Centres (i.e. one-stop shops) and homeowners’ associations need a shared way to assess where a neighbourhood stands today, define where it wants to be, and map out how to get there.

Drawing on the experience of developing Neighbourhood Energy Sufficiency Roadmaps (NESRs) in Burgas, Józsefváros, Elektrėnai and Kaišiadorys, this ComActivate guide sets out a structured, adaptable framework for anyone developing their first NESR. It is designed as a practical resource to be used throughout the process, not a template to fill in or a rigid checklist to follow.

The guidelines walk through building a neighbourhood profile and technical assessment, turning guiding questions and resident input into a prioritised, SMART set of goals, and translating those goals into a concrete, assignable action plan. They also explain the two pillars underpinning every NESR, energy efficiency and energy sufficiency, and the role of a Resource Centre as the institutional anchor that carries a roadmap from planning through to implementation.

A closing chapter looks beyond housing to show how the same structured approach can extend to energy, mobility and public and green spaces, helping municipalities build a fuller picture of what makes a neighbourhood genuinely sustainable and inclusive.

Download the guidelines for the full framework, guiding questions and practical tools for developing your own roadmap.