Welcome back to the PREFIGURE newsletter!

In this issue, you will find:

• our project video (finally!)
• some insights from the first two stops of our European tour
• our first policy brief, on Reclaming housing - energy systems for a just transition
• a link to a new scientific publication on community energy 
• a list of upcoming events
• some interesting sector insights 
• further updates

Read on and stay tuned!

The PREFIGURE team

For the first two stops of our PREFIGURE European tour, we were in Sofia (21-22 April) and Thessaloniki (24-29 April).

In Sofia, corner was set up in the large square opposite the National Palace of Culture. Despite the rain, corner brought together experts and citizens to share knowledge and ideas on finding more effective solutions for their homes. Experts from the Center for the Study of Democracy, WWF Bulgaria, Greenpeace Bulgaria, the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect, the Net-Zero Lab, the Sofia Energy Agency, the Sofia Municipality and the Bulgarian-Austrian Consulting Company provided practical advice on energy efficiency, renovations and household-level energy solutions. 

In Thessaloniki, corner transformed part of the promenade into a space for collective learning and reflection on the housing and energy crisis. An engaging open discussion was held to present the Housing Thessaloniki prototype, which offers an alternative to the crisis by renovating vacant housing and making it available to low-income households. Throughout the week, corner also turned into an open classroom for students on the EPICUR course 'EPIC_LAB', who were exploring topics such as housing discrimination, gentrification, energy poverty, and climate adaptation.

Curious about where we are headed next? Here is a hint; follow our journey (we are on Instagram too), or keep reading!

Amid deepening social divisions and mounting affordability issues, Europe’s housing and energy systems are undergoing a transformation. 

Read the new policy brief by PREFIGURE to find out how policy design, market incentives and institutional capacity shape solutions in eight European case studies. The analysis reveals ongoing disparities in renovation preparedness, the targeting of vulnerable groups and policy coordination at different levels. 

Community energy as care infrastructure: Insights from two energy communities in England and Greece

This article examines community energy projects as infrastructures of care, exploring how they address interconnected environmental and social challenges. While grassroots renewable energy projects are often framed in technical or economic terms, MSc. Danai Liodaki and Dr. Elia Apostolopoulou argue that their significance also lies in the relational, ethical and political dimensions of energy provision.