SPETE

Citizen Led Renovation: Εnergy redevelopment driven by citizens

The Citizen-Led Renovation (CLR) support service is a European Commission initiative that aims to put citizens at the centre of energy renovation projects, strengthening existing and future energy communities.

The Citizen-Led Renovation (CLR) project was born within the framework of European policies for the energy transition and the decarbonization of buildings. The European Commission, through a Preparatory Action and subsequent calls for proposals, has launched a pilot initiative to test and consolidate the concept of citizen-led renovation, with the aim of making Europe’s building stock more efficient and contributing to the objectives of the Green Deal , the Renovation Wave , and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD ).

The project, in the CLR3 phase, is coordinated by AESS with the support of FEDARENE, Energy Cities and REGEA and involves a consortium of 10 energy agencies, OSS and organizations that act as “enabling structures” with the task of:

• provide local support services to citizen groups engaged in energy requalification;
• concretely support renovation projects at the level of buildings, streets or neighborhoods;
• strengthen the technical, legal and financial capacities of energy communities;
• develop sustainability plans to ensure continuity beyond the project lifespan.

The project envisions allocating at least 80% of its financial resources to community services, with the aim of creating replicable success stories across Europe and increasing the rate of deep building renovation.

Meet SPETE – Supporting PEople Towards Efficiency, from Greece!

The Greek consortium SPETE, formed by Hellenic Passive House Institute (HPHI), EKPIZO, a consumers’ organisation, and Electra Energy, brings together technical excellence, social advocacy, and grassroots mobilisation. Their partnership reflects a holistic vision for citizen-led renovation: one that bridges innovation, empowerment, and inclusion.

HPHI leads with its internationally recognised expertise in high-performance building renovation, providing training, technical guidance, and community engagement to achieve Passive House standards in projects such as Passivistas: The Tavros Project. EKPIZO, a leading consumer association, complements this work by reaching thousands of households, offering tailored guidance and ensuring that vulnerable citizens benefit from renovation initiatives.

Electra Energy, meanwhile, brings its long-standing experience supporting energy communities across Greece. From founding member mobilisation to project implementation and renovation for vulnerable households, Electra ensures that the benefits of the green transition are shared equitably.

Together, these partners are creating a strong ecosystem where citizens, professionals, and local authorities collaborate to drive energy-efficient renovation, with special attention to those most in need.

What does Citizen-Led Renovation mean?
The concept of Citizen-Led Renovation (CLR) refers to building energy renovation initiatives initiated and managed directly by citizens, often organized into energy communities or local collectives. Unlike top-down initiatives promoted solely by institutions, CLRs are bottom-up and are characterized by open and voluntary participation. They guarantee citizens an effective role in governance and aim not only at the redevelopment of individual buildings, but also at larger-scale projects (streets, neighborhoods, districts), integrating environmental, social, and economic objectives, strengthening trust, social cohesion, and local skills.

CLRs represent an innovative model of community governance for energy retrofitting, capable of accelerating the decarbonization of buildings and democratizing the energy transition.

– See more at the European Commission website –