Launching 100 lighthouse districts – European Affordable Housing Consortium Final Conference

The European Affordable Housing Consortium has concluded its initial phase by reconciling the need for affordable housing, the Green European Urban Renewal and the reduction of carbon emissions. For the last 24 months, the project team has been preparing the ground for a renovation wave driven by social and technical innovation centred around people.

Drawing inspiration from people and places who have successfully put the fair energy transition into practice in local Lighthouse Districts, the team behind the Consortium has created a community ready to share knowledge and tools with practitioners who are now taking the path. After these intensive months of research, study visits, workshops and exchanges, the Blueprints for Replication of Lighthouse Districts were developed to serve as a practical guide for the planning, financing and implementation of integrated district renovation projects while always taking into consideration that there is “no solution fits all”

As the importance of human connection as driver of the movement became clear from the beginning, we want to acknowledge the mentors and mentees that took part in the project by giving them a platform in the event. Their experiences are crucial for the optimisation of policies at both the European and local level towards the goal of bringing 100 Lighthouse Districts of the Affordable Housing Initiative to life.

We hope that this will be an inspirational and fruitful event for EU policymakers but also for all the key stakeholders of the Local Industrial Partnership that are represented in the project consortium (local authorities, social, public and cooperative housing providers and SMEs).

REGISTER 

21 February 2024 I Committee of the Regions (JDE51 and Atrium 5) I Brussels 

OPENING SESSION

09:10 – 09:30 Welcome

• Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy (video message)
• Bent Madsen, President of Housing Europe
• Andre Sobczak, Secretary General of Eurocities

09:30 – 09:40 Vienna Housing Model & Integrated District Renovation

Peter Florianschütz, City of Vienna & Member of the Committee of the Regions

THE PROJECT DELIVERY

• Introduction by Henk Visscher, TU Delft

09:50 – 10:00 What the project has delivered? 

João Gonçalves, Director of Innovation Housing Europe.

10:00 – 10:45 Becoming Lighthouse Districts, moderated by Elina Sergejeva, Project Manager at Energy Cities

• Goran Jeras, MOBA Housing
• Ilektra Mancini, Hellenic Passive House Institute
• Maja Staleska, HTO

10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 – 11:15 The European Affordable Housing Consortium & the New European Bauhaus

Marcos Ros Sempere, Member of the European Parliament (S&D)

BRINGING 100 LIGHTHOUSE DISTRICTS TO LIFE

11:10 – 11:20 Policy Lab & Recommendations

Julien Dijol, Policy Director Housing Europe

11:20  – 12:40 Stakeholder Perspectives & Panel, moderated by Julien Dijol

• What we need to launch 100 Lighthouse Districts:

  • Michaela Kauer, Head of Brussels Office City of Vienna (City)
  • Rossanna Zaccaria, President Legacoop Abitanti (social housing/cooperatives)
  • Barbara Steenbergen, Head of International Liaison Office IUT (Tenants)
  • Nelson Brito  arq: i+d, lda (SME), MIT-Portugal Program UC – (SMEs)

  Reaction from DG ENER, DG Regio, Independent Research (FL):

  • Bogdan ATANASIU Senior Policy Officer on EE in Buildigs, DG ENER (Commission)
  • Maarten de Groote VITO/EnergyVille expert in Smart Energy & Built Environment
  • Goncalo Veiga da Silva, DG REGIO

12:40 Reflection and closing

Anna Athanasopoulou – Head of Unit G2, Proximity, Social Economy, and Creative Industries, Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs

12:45 – 14:00  Lunch and celebration of the Mentors of the Renovation Helpdesk – Atrium 5

A conversation around peer-to-peer support on integrated district renovation, moderated by Margherita Marinelli, Junior Innovation and Project Officer at Housing Europe

• Muris Kodzaga, Hilfswerk International
• William Nelissen, Wonen in Limburg
• Sylwia Slomiak, ssas
• Fabien Lasserre, Vilogia
• Sven Buch, Himmerland Boligforening
• Otto Höller, tafkaoo architects

REGISTER 

The European Affordable Housing Consortium (SHAPE-EU) is the point of reference for a socially-inclusive Renovation Wave. Its mission is to support affordable housing providers, public authorities, and SMEs to deliver renovations that go the extra mile in terms of technological innovation, people-centred models or experimental engagement practices with residents. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Single Market Programme under Grant Agreement no. 101069909