Energy communities: a tool to rehabilitate post-war reconstruction buildings

Abstract

In 2050, about 80% of the European building stock will consist of buildings currently in use. In Italy, a significant share of such stock was built during post-war reconstruction through the Ina Casa social housing programme, which solved such problems as unemployment and housing demand. The rationale behind the building focussed on tradition and saving and drove the implementation of architectural solutions which do not meet the current European Green Deal requirements. Due to the energy crisis, such architectural solutions are also expensive to manage. The wish to rehabilitate the abovementioned stock stimulates the adoption of new instruments, such as energy communities and participatory energy management models. These instruments achieve a sustainable energy set-up and drive both social and economic development.