Energy2Act

Project

The Energy2Act project is part of the Municipality of Cesena journey toward climate neutrality by 2050. This goal currently faces several structural and social barriers, including private sector disengagement, fragmented interventions, and economic hurdles that prevent many citizens from accessing incentives and initiating renovation works.
In addition, there is a lack of precise and timely data, which is essential for guiding effective strategic decisions.

In this scenario, the Energy2Act project proposes an approach based on the neighborhood dimension, supporting local communities in their transformation into Climate Communities. These communities become active and informed groups, capable of designing and implementing interventions to create Positive Clean Energy Neighborhoods (PCENs)—urban areas that are energy self-sufficient and sustainability-oriented.

A central element of the project is the creation of the One-Stop-Shop for Climate Communities (OSS-CC), which supports neighborhoods throughout all stages of the transition by providing services ranging from the participatory definition of energy strategies to the implementation and monitoring of interventions.

The model integrates cutting-edge solutions, such as a certified value chain to ensure reliable retrofitting, a Multilevel Decision Support System powered by citizen science data, and the Climate Community Exchange System and Fund.

The latter represents the heart of the project in terms of inclusion, promoting energy solidarity to ensure that no one—especially those living in conditions of energy poverty—is left behind by the transition. The effectiveness of the entire system is based on the Community Readiness Level (CRL), which assesses the degree of preparedness of local communities to activate concrete actions for the energy transition.

The Municipality of Cesena has identified the Vigne neighborhood as the first 'Acceleration Neighborhood', where participatory pathways and pilot actions will be launched.

The Energy2Act approach will be transferred and replicated in three other European cities: Leipzig, Chalandri, and Braga.
Energy2Act is a 42-month project co-funded by the European Commission under the EUI-IA (European Urban Initiative - Innovative Action).

Specific objectives

The specific objectives of Energy2Act are:

Transforming groups of citizens into Climate Communities by assessing and enhancing their Community Readiness Level (CRL), ensuring they take full leadership of the transition process through continuous learning and knowledge sharing.

Providing a robust digital infrastructure to facilitate data collection and informed decision-making, while establishing an exchange system based on collaboration (Kwh/euro/community currency) and a dedicated fund to tackle energy poverty.

Introducing and testing the OSS-CC model to provide integrated renovation services (from individual buildings to the entire neighborhood), creating data-driven future scenarios and fostering cooperation across the complete renovation value chain for both buildings and open spaces.

Role of
Certimac

Leveraging a consolidated experience in research and development projects, Certimac has solid expertise in designing and offering innovative solutions across various fields.

These include building energy efficiency, the renovation of existing buildings, energy performance monitoring, and material sustainability.

Thanks to this know-how, Certimac leads WP5, which is dedicated to the development and implementation of the One-Stop-Shop for Climate Communities (OSS-CC). Specifically, Certimac coordinates the definition of OSS-CC services tailored to the local community, overseeing the design of the Building Renovation Compass, the elaboration of the Quality Check Protocol (QCP), and the creation of a qualified list of professionals to ensure sustainable interventions. Additionally, Certimac supports the training and certification activities for QCP Controllers.

The contribution of Certimac is instrumental in making the OSS-CC model an effective tool for promoting high-quality, locally-rooted retrofitting, thereby accelerating the energy transition within the territory

Expected outcomes

The main expected results of the Energy2Act project are:

Social Activation: At least 3 communities will begin the path to becoming Climate Communities. The Vigne neighborhood community will define the first Near Future Scenario to be reached and implemented, with at least 40 people actively engaged in its execution.

Physical and Digital Infrastructure: Creation of the Cesena Energy Living Lab (CELL) as a physical reference hub and an operational digital platform to access renovation services.

Energy and Environmental Impact: Improvement of energy performance and reduction of CO2 emissions in the pilot neighborhood (Vigne), thanks to renewable energy production, the creation of new green spaces, and the increase in electric and active mobility.

Economic Inclusion: Operability of the community exchange system and the energy poverty fund, facilitating collective interventions including for the vulnerable segments of the population.