Innovative societies Water-smart societies Climate-neutral societiesÂ
Interreg makes
a difference!
Explore how people in the Baltic Sea region have been benefitting
from our projects.
#MadeWithInterreg solutions for
Efficient energy consumptionÂ
From practical tools and training to engaging people into action: Interreg projects showcase how efficiency in working beyond borders leads to efficiency in energy use.Â
What are we doing?
Lowering energy consumption in order to reduce the carbon footprint, increase energy security and save costs are a constant goal that can only be reached by thought through and coordinated actions. Interreg projects are a perfect playground to showcase how novel methods, inclusive cooperation groups and exchange of practices and knowledge across sectors and regions can make a real difference. Energy efficiency achieved through efficient work in Interreg projects contributes to a long-term sustainability and energy security of the region.
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Examples of #MadeWithInterreg solutions:
- cooperative energy groups set up, tools and changed behavioural patterns for reducing energy consumption
- self-assessment tools for better energy management
- tools to plan, finance, install and manage low district heating systems allowing for heat loss decrease in buildings
- energy audits harmonised across the Baltic Sea region
- retrofitting, upgrading and deep renovation of buildings saving energy pushed forward
- a platform to share knowledge on energy efficiency in the building stock
- sustainable and smart urban lighting solutions introduced
- set up of climate-neutral industrial areas
What we’ve achieved so far
Energy is a crucial driver of economies and societies, but it is also a major contributor to global warming. Interreg projects have played a significant role in promoting energy efficiency in the Baltic Sea region. In the mid-2000s, projects reviewed national policies on energy efficiency in building stock and initiated renovation in residential buildings in Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. From 2009 to 2013, cities and towns learned to plan comprehensive energy renewal of residential areas and energy refurbishment of historical buildings. Project partners also constructed a sustainable, energy-efficient student dormitory in Klaipeda, demonstrating jointly developed engineering and building technology standards in new buildings.
From 2016 to 2021, cities in projects revised their sustainable energy action plans and trained building managers and energy auditors for retrofitting, upgrading, and deep renovation of buildings. They also installed modern LED lighting in walking and cycling areas to promote active mobility and energy savings of up to 50%. Cities strengthened their work with residents, educating them on how to lower energy consumption. They set up local energy efficiency groups involving public organisations like schools, transport agencies, businesses, homeowners, and residents. On the policy level, projects developed recommendations on how to mainstream climate into new European Structural and Investment Funds to accelerate the transition towards climate neutrality. They proposed measures such as improving energy efficiency through the reconstruction of buildings and district heating systems on a wider national and regional scale.
Ongoing projects
The ongoing projects help municipalities, industry and homeowners introduce viable measures to reduce energy consumption and offer consolidate services for energy efficient renovations of existing building stock. Novel simulation models and visualisation tools help develop cities develop sustainable energy and climate action plans and achieve climate goals. The key element remains an active engagement of communities in the processes and drive the behavioural change in energy consumption, achieved thanks to e.g. involvement of creative industries or creating energy groups. In parallel to engaging with people on the ground, projects work towards reducing the carbon footprint of industrial areas.
Supporting the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
Our projects introduce innovative and practical solutions to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption, contributing to the goals of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) to enhance regional energy connectivity. In collaboration with the coordinators of the EUSBSR policy area Energy, our projects assist cities and regions in planning for sustainable and energy-secure futures.
Explore project solutions in more detail
Solutions stay with the people: listen to our #InterregVoices
© Sara Seing
Joining this particular project made me rejoice as it provided us with the opportunity to address the issues we had long desired to work on and cooperate with others who share our vision. (...) The Sustainable Public Meal Toolkit offered by the project is incredibly useful for our organization’s work.
Sara Seing
Södertälje Municipality, Sweden
STRATKIT+ project
©Ilga Gruševa
In Latvia, we are especially proud of those partners who took the lead partner role in Interreg projects. Here I can name for example the project InnoFruit, which created a sustainable network of fruit-growing companies to make them more competitive in the Baltic Sea region market.
Ilga Gruševa
Monitoring Committee member, Latvia
©IB.SH
Local food producers need innovative and practical solutions for culinary tourism to meet the specific needs and expectations of visitors in the post-pandemic era. The capacity of small producers to get enough visibility and attention in tourism market is usually very limited. Thus, they also need a solution for efficient marketing of joint tourism products.
Anna Kaiponen
Rural Tourism Association Lomalaidun, Finland
BASCIL project
