People throughout face increasing energy costs, leaving them vulnerable to uncomfortable and even unhealthy living conditions. At the same time the buildings they live in present a major environmental challenge.
Europe’s buildings consume 40% of the European Union’s energy and emit 36% of its total greenhouse gases. Lowering these figures is crucial to achieving the EU’s climate target plan to cut emissions by 55% by 2030.
Yet, amidst these challenges lies an opportunity: buildings are not just simply energy consumers, they also offer a physical space for communities that can address these challenges.
One such initiative is taking shape in the Carcavelos neighbourhood in the heart of Matosinhos, Portugal, as part of the EU-funded ProLight project. Carcavelos, a social housing district built in the 1980s to address housing needs after Portugal’s April Revolution, is home to 690 residents across 278 dwellings, alongside several small businesses. After decades of intensive use and minimal maintenance, the district underwent a major refurbishment in 2021, improving both living conditions and energy efficiency. Matosinhos is now a model of energy policy, with several initiatives in place to reduce carbon emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.