The LIFE Plan4COLD project started in October 2024 and has a duration of three years. It is funded under the LIFE-2023 Programme and brings together a total of 15 partners from five Southern European countries, coordinated by the Portuguese Energy Agency (ADENE).
The main objective of the project is to establish a methodology for the preparation of Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plans, taking into account the fact that almost half of the EU’s energy demand – and greenhouse gas emissions – is associated with heating and cooling systems. Given the specific characteristics of Southern European Member States, where cooling needs are significantly higher than heating needs, and the demand for a “cooler” climate is expected to increase substantially due to climate change, the project will support cities and towns in complying with Article 25(6) of the European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) 2023/1791, according to which European municipalities with a population of more than 45,000 inhabitants are required to develop local heating and cooling plans.
More specifically, the Plan4COLD project will support local authorities, particularly the cities in Italy, Greece and Portugal selected as pilot areas, in developing local heating and cooling plans. The Region of Crete is one of the project’s pilot regions, as its two largest municipalities, Heraklion and Chania, will have the opportunity to receive guidance and support in developing Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plans.
The aim, however, is for all municipalities across the island of Crete to benefit from the project. As part of the project, training materials will be developed for regional and local authorities, while a series of capacity-building meetings will be organised with national, regional and local stakeholders and sector professionals. These activities will support the exchange of knowledge and expertise and contribute to a better understanding of specific socio-economic needs, ultimately leading to concrete policy recommendations that can be useful at national, regional and local levels, as well as at European level.
To join the Local Communities of Practice for Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plans, click here.
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Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plan (SLHCP)
Each Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plan (SLHCP) is a local roadmap and guide that shows how much energy an area needs for heating and cooling, where this energy can be supplied from clean sources, and which actions are needed, in order of priority.
The aim is to identify, prioritise and harness clean and renewable heating and cooling sources at the local level. This is achieved by combining data on the thermal energy consumption of buildings, the local electricity grid, and the available low-emission heating and cooling sources within a spatial and temporal model. This makes it possible to identify which solutions are best suited to each area, neighbourhood, or even individual building.
Local Community of Practice (LCoP)
A Local Community of Practice (LCoP) is a collaborative group for dialogue and knowledge exchange. It brings together those who have knowledge of, or are affected by, energy, heating and cooling in the local area: public authorities and services, energy and network operators, businesses, large commercial and industrial consumers, representatives of consumers and vulnerable groups, energy communities, as well as scientific and technical organisations.
The LCoP supports the Municipality in developing its Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plan (SLHCP) based on the actual needs of the local area. The Plan is developed with the participation of those who will be affected by it.
Associate Professor Emmanouil Varouchakis
Scientific Coordinator of the LIFE Plan4COLD project. Coordinator of the Internationl Joint Master in “Responsible Consumption and Production under Sustainable Mining” at the School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete. Coordinator of the European University for Responsible Consumption and Production (EURECA-PRO) at the Technical University of Crete.
Professor Emeritus Georgios P. Karatzas
Μember of the Environmental Hydraulics, Coastal Engineering and Geoenvironmental Engineering Division and the Geoenvironmental Engineering Laboratory at the Technical University of Crete. Professor Emeritus at the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete.
PhD Candidate Georgia Piligkotsi
Scientific Associate at the School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, working on the LIFE Plan4COLD project.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.