Technologies and open innovation for low-carbon regions
The common challenge addressed by the CLEAN project is how best to meet EU energy efficiency targets for buildings in Europe’s regions. Buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption in the EU and the older ones consume between 8 and 12 times as much heating oil as new ones. Nine regions have joined together to address this challenge.

The regions are evenly spread across Europe and contains a mix of different climates, city/urban areas and levels of development – less, transitional and more developed. The regions are represented by a mix of regional partners including managing authorities, region/city authorities and energy centres from: Region of Crete (GR), Region of Savinjska (SI), Region of North Karelia (FI), City of Iasi (RO), City of Naples (IT), City of San Sebastian (ES), Region Basse-Normandie (FR), County of Donegal (IE), County of Vasternorrland (SE).

The budget for the project is €1.6 million. The objective is for the regions to work together between 2017–2022 to improve the capacity of their policy instruments to increase energy efficiency in housing and public infrastructure by 4%.

The expected changes will be better performance in 9 Investment for Growth & Jobs policy measures that address energy efficiency. This will result from greater focus in policy instruments on stimulating effective engagement between public authorities and citizens who own properties, and research centres and companies who can introduce new innovative energy efficiency solutions.

The main outputs will be Action Plans, revised governance arrangements for policy instruments, new types of projects supported as a result of interregional learning, and transfer of innovative policy and solutions.

This will benefit all stakeholders in each region’s energy environment, i.e. consumers of energy services, suppliers of energy products and services, centres of energy expertise (including innovation) and public authorities (promoters of energy efficiency).