Cooperative Energy Renovations: Lessons from the FORTESIE Pilot Engagement

What Are Cooperatives?

Cooperatives are established by citizens to serve citizens. They operate according to statutes they define, to fulfill the mission that shapes them, and the services they promote reflect the values they believe in. A cooperative is an organized entity with responsibilities, made up of people who come together to develop one or more services that benefit all its members. They are not profit-driven but seek to operate sustainably. Cooperatives are private entities within what is known as the social economy.

Coopérnico's Role in FORTESIE

There are cooperatives of various kinds. The Portuguese renewable energy cooperative Coopérnico, a partner of the European project FORTESIE, was responsible for carrying out energy renovations in ten of its members' homes. In this process, Coopérnico played the role of mediator between its members—who needed to improve the energy performance of their homes—and the professionals with the knowledge and capacity to carry out the renovations.

The Renovation Process

The renovation process took place in several stages. After selecting the eligible homes, technical visits were conducted to assess needs, meet the members in person—the future beneficiaries of FORTESIE—and explain how the process would unfold. The involvement of cooperative members from the beginning was crucial for the success of the project.

Energy renovation, as a service that (positively) impacts families' quality of life, requires that households be well-informed at every stage, that their opinions on proposed energy efficiency measures be heard, and that they are engaged in finding local companies to request quotes and execute the work.

Member Engagement and Communication

The renovation beneficiaries, empowered with knowledge about the proposed measures and informed about the upcoming work, acted as Coopérnico's eyes on site. They reported progress, asked questions, and sent daily photos to the cooperative's team. This two-way, ongoing, and transparent communication was essential for ensuring quality control and member satisfaction.

Advantages of Cooperative Mediation

Cooperative mediation in buildings energy renovation processes can bring several advantages, such as:

• Personalized service
• Empathetic, non-commercial approach
• Trust-based relationships
• Community-focused solutions

Several European energy cooperatives are engaged in buildings energy renovations and serve as inspiring examples—such as Spain's GoiEner and France's cooperative initiatives.

Future Services and One-Stop Shop

Coopérnico will soon launch a one-stop shop for energy efficiency, offering support for the installation of photovoltaic panels (individually or collectively) and for buildings energy renovations. The energy renovation packages, being developed under the FORTESIE project, will be part of the service offer. These packages, based on data gathered from buildings that have benefited from energy renovation programs, cover different types of interventions.

Implementation Details

In the Portuguese case, led by Coopérnico, the renovation work was carried out in single-family homes, mostly implementing non-electric efficiency measures such as:

• Window replacement
• Installation of thermal insulation in attics and exterior walls
• Addition of trickle vents to promote better air circulation

Results and Impact Assessment

After the completion of the energy renovations, the homes were visited to verify the quality of the work and understand its impact on the families' quality of life. On that occasion, testimonials were collected from the beneficiaries, including the Jesus family from Canas de Senhorim, revealing positive outcomes.

The beneficiaries also recently took part in a survey evaluating the social acceptance of the home renovations, conducted by the consortium partner Smart Innovation Norway. Out of 12 responses, 11 stated they were very satisfied with the overall quality of the renovation and said they would recommend the service to others.

Looking Forward

Reflecting on the entire process and the results achieved, Coopérnico feels even more motivated to build the right partnerships and, together, design an energy renovation service for buildings that can be delivered with the speed, quality, and efficiency that today's challenges demand.