On February 13th, 2025, SUPER-i hosted its final webinar, bringing together industry experts, housing professionals and more to discuss the innovations in sustainable social housing.
The event explored innovative financing models, real-world case studies, and future opportunities, marking a significant step in the project’s journey.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion:
The webinar addressed the complexities of securing funding for energy-efficient social housing. Experts discussed the challenges of borrowing, particularly in countries where social housing companies can no longer access loans, and the need to explore diverse interest rate scenarios when engaging with banks and mortgage institutions. Insights from Public Private Partneship models (with an ESCO and a social housing association as main counterparts) demonstrated how extending repayment periods could leverage additional resources for energy renovations.
Participants raised questions on the difficulties of applying existing legislation to housing projects. Discussions highlighted the need for policy reforms that enable housing providers to access sustainable financing mechanisms and collaborate with ESCOs to fund large-scale interventions.
A major point of discussion was the gap between projected and actual energy savings due to resident behavior. While many analyses assume energy demand remains stable, in reality, residents may use more energy as costs decrease. Despite this, the energy savings from the planned SUPER-i interventions remain substantial, ensuring benefits even allowing for some “energy waste.”
The webinar showcased the success of SUPER-i pilots and the next steps for expanding their impact. Additionally, these Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models will be further tested in collaboration with the SUPERSHINE project, reinforcing the commitment to long-term sustainability.
As the project evolves, the discussion emphasized the potential to expand financing models to new projects and countries. Organizations interested in applying these models were encouraged to explore potential partnerships, with opportunities to participate in future initiatives. A dedicated survey was also shared to collect insights and identify new collaborations.
Missed the Webinar?
You can watch the recording here!
Photo credit : Daniel Reche: https://www.pexels.com/it-it/foto/lampadina-gialla-1556704/
