Energy renovations in multi-owner residential buildings are a critical but complex component of Europe's decarbonization strategy. Co-owned condominiums face challenges related to collective decision-making, technical complexity, legal rigidity, and financial risk. Across Europe, national and regional governments have launched support structures, most notably one-stop shops, to guide co-owners through the renovation process and to bridge technical, financial, and organizational gaps. In the Belgian region Flanders, the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency has launched a subsidized Renovation Master Plan to overcome these barriers by facilitating one-stop shops that provide neutral renovation advice (Energy Houses), and engineering and architectural consultancies (Study Offices) to support condominiums throughout the renovation process. This article investigates how this Public-Led Approach operates in practice by analysing five real-life condominium renovation projects across three cities: Antwerp, Mechelen, and Ostend. Based on case studies, interviews with co-owners and relevant stakeholders, and analysis of project reports, this study explores this policy instrument with the aim of optimizing its effectiveness and exploring its potential for replication in other EU member states. The findings show that successful energy renovations are not just a matter of technical planning or financial subsidies. Progress depends on how public actors build trust, coordinate fragmented stakeholders, and adapt their business models to diverse ownership structures and renovation pathways. We argue that replicating and scaling such Public-Led Approaches requires sustained local engagement, institutional flexibility, and public-private collaborations. The findings can inform policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in developing effective and targeted Publicly-Led Integrated home renovation services in the EU. ... Read more

This report evaluates the performance and development needs of Integrated Home Renovation Services (IHRS) tailored for condominiums in Flanders and the Netherlands. It focuses on two complementary models: a public-led approach piloted in Flanders through the Flemish Climate and Energy Agency (VEKA) and local Energy Houses, and a private-led approach represented by the Dutch service provider WNR.
To support this evaluation, we developed a conceptual framework based on tailored evaluation criteria designed to assess the viability of the business models. These criteria were informed by a review of relevant literature, project deliverables, and practical observations, and are used to assess key aspects such as financial stability, adaptability, customer focus, and operational efficiency.
The analysis combines multiple data sources, including document reviews, observations, co-creation workshops, and in-depth interviews with co-owners, board members, IHRS actors, and public stakeholders involved in energy renovations across eight condominium associations (CAs) in both Flanders and the Netherlands. This qualitative research was further complemented by two questionnaire surveys, one targeted at CA co-owners in Flanders and the Netherlands, and another at a broader group of property owners across the EU. The EU-wide survey revealed consistent patterns in motivations, barriers, and support needs, highlighting the relevance of the findings beyond the immediate case studies.
Both IHRS models aim to simplify the complex renovation journey for CAs by offering advisory, coordination, and technical support. However, each model faces specific challenges: The public-led model benefits from neutrality and policy alignment, but often lacks long-term engagement beyond the masterplan phase and struggles with resource intensity. The private-led model shows strengths in flexibility, phased planning, and client-centric service, but must overcome barriers related to trust, financing accessibility, and coordination with public actors such as municipalities and housing corporations.
The report provides detailed business model recommendations for improving service delivery across nine Business Model Canvas components. These are supported by policy recommendations targeting national and local governments.
Limitations of the Study: While this report offers rich insights, it is based on a limited number of in-depth IHRS providers, three in Flanders and one in the Netherlands. The findings are therefore not statistically generalizable but reflect qualitative depth. The co-owner interviews may also reflect the views of more engaged or vocal residents, potentially underrepresenting passive or non-participating co-owners. Finally, the long-term outcomes of renovation processes were not yet fully observable at the time of this analysis. Despite these limitations, the study provides robust evidence for informing business model optimization and targeted policy support for IHRS models across varying governance contexts. The developed evaluation framework also offers a transferable tool for assessing similar renovation service models in other European contexts. ... Read more

Across Europe, homeowner associations (HOAs) are increasingly recognised as pivotal entities in the energy renovation of condominiums, which are essential for achieving the EU's energy efficiency targets. However, the success of such renovations hinges on the active involvement and effective collaboration of diverse stakeholders throughout the renovation journey, from project initiation to post-renovation operation. This paper aims to map stakeholders involved in energy renovations supported by intermediaries for HOAs, categorise their roles, and analyse their relationships to better understand collaboration dynamics. By investigating these stakeholder interactions, the study seeks to identify opportunities for improving stakeholder engagement, optimising IHRS coordination, and unburdening HOAs throughout the renovation process. Using an iterative approach that combines desk research, focus groups, and interviews, this study identifies the relationships between renovation intermediaries and potential stakeholders for condominium renovations. The findings of this study highlight that successful energy renovations require the involvement and effective coordination of multiple stakeholders. Achieving comprehensive condominium renovations necessitates a public-private collaboration, ensuring that all financial, technical, and regulatory aspects are adequately addressed. The findings provide actionable insights for intermediaries such as one-stop shops, policymakers, renovation service providers, and HOAs, enabling them to enhance collaborative frameworks, streamline processes, and develop strategic actions. By strengthening public-private cooperation, these insights support the efficient implementation of energy renovations and the unburdening of HOAs throughout the renovation journey. This study contributes to the development of integrated renovation pathways that are efficient, scalable, and sustainable. ... Read more

This report outlines the necessity of a dedicated guarantee fund and a financial fund to facilitate condominium renovations. The aim of installing such funds is to minimize risks for Condominium Association (CAs), their members, and financial institutions, making loans more affordable and encouraging renovations. The report particularly discusses fund development from the perspective of the CondoReno project partners who aim to create and multiply Integrated Home Renovation Services for condominium associations. Together with national stakeholders, they evaluated the most important barriers in the renovation process, based on former research and focusing on financial challenges intertwined with policy and legal issues. A workshop and two focus group discussions emphasized the importance of controlling costs and risks to make renovations affordable, especially for low-income individuals and households. The role of quality assurance in establishing a maximum renovation price and the concept of living cost optimality are highlighted. The report compiles all experiences so far on this topic, explores best practices and the legal and financial requirements for financial and guarantee funds as well as the importance of healthy financial planning for CAs. Finally, recommendations are given to optimize fund development. ... Read more

The primary objective of the CondoReno project is to create and replicate Integrated Home Renovation Services (IHRS) in Flanders and the Netherlands to achieve label A condominium renovations with condominium associations. The project addresses the challenge of coordinating multiple stakeholders involved in the renovation of co-owned condominiums, including co-owners, condominium associations (CAs), condominium managers, contractors, financial institutions, and government bodies. The report outlines the steps taken to build and multiply IHRS, focusing on stakeholder mapping, co-creation with internal and external stakeholders, digital support, and quality assurance. Subsequently, we describe the initiatives that WNR and the energy houses of Antwerp, Ostend and Mechelen took to develop an IHRS through co-creation processes with local stakeholders from the demand and the supply side. These initiatives concern local stakeholder groups in The Netherlands and Flanders, various training and knowledge exchange initiatives, a digital resource center, the creation of two IHRS originating from the supply side. The report demonstrates that co-creation processes can significantly enhance the demand and supply of IHRS for condominiums. Key recommendations include strengthening collaboration between authorities, aligning renovation incentives with CA needs, and exploring long term and innovative financing models. The development of a standardized IHRS model and stronger public-private partnerships are also emphasized. The CondoReno partners will focus on further refining their IHRS models, implementing and disseminating the CRM system, expanding training programs, and exploring new financing options. ... Read more

Research into the impact of innovative sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations is crucial to diversifying, scaling up, and accelerating the sustainable energy transition. Although there is vast research into sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations, research literature offers a fragmented collection of findings. A coherent overview of themes and insights regarding the transformative impact of innovative sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations on sustainable energy systems from the past, present, and near future is lacking and necessary to increase experiments and demonstrations' impact on the sustainable energy transition. The research in this study fills this knowledge gap by providing such an overview and yields novel insights into the organized function and impact of experiments and demonstrations. It spans a broad spectrum of sustainable energy technologies, the empirical domains where these are invented, developed and applied, and the stakeholders involved. The overview is the outcome of a Delphi study in which the insights of 47 international scientific research experts in sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations are bundled and explained. This study presents a thematic overview of the significant insights regarding past and current sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations and outlines a research agenda for the future. Policymakers, practitioners, and scientists can leverage this to inform their sustainable energy policies, business strategies, and research programs. ... Read more

In the context of urban regeneration, community renovation has been a vital approach for improving local living conditions and global sustainable development. Due to the financial burden and uneven regional development, China’s community renovation has gradually shifted from the government-led model to the market-oriented model. However, these projects are subject to various intra- and inter-stakeholder barriers, particularly hidden transaction costs. This study investigates the transaction costs experienced by key stakeholders, including residents, developers, governments, and architects, with a specific focus on the pre-design phase of market-oriented community renovation projects in China. Data on stakeholders’ experienced transaction costs and their origins were collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys and were investigated using content analysis and quantitative analysis. Results show that developers bear the most categories of transaction costs. The most significant transaction costs persist in the interactions between developers and governments, including estimating benefits and costs and receiving project approval. Furthermore, negotiating costs are the primary obstructions that hinder stakeholder collaboration. By tracing the origins of these transaction costs, the study proposes measures to optimize the renovation process by reducing transaction costs. ... Read more

Active resident engagement and effective organizer management are crucial for participatory neighborhood rehabilitation. Yet, existing public participation research focuses on residents, leaving the behaviors of organizers and their influence on outcomes less examined. Furthermore, most renewal studies treat the rehabilitation process as homogeneous and static, overlooking how stakeholders’ objectives, strategies, and actions evolve throughout the project lifecycle. To address these gaps, this paper employs stakeholder theory to propose the Stakeholder Influence Model (SIM), which investigates the multifaceted influence of stakeholders on resident participation across different phases of neighborhood rehabilitation. Drawing on 44 in-depth interviews and a four-month participant observation in Wuhan, China, deductive content analysis reveals stakeholders’ distinct influence strategies and both stimulating or disincentivizing effects on resident engagement. Specifically, indirect local government involvement, excessive delegation to neighborhood committees, and imbalanced power dynamics among residents are identified, jeopardizing the fairness, inclusiveness, and long-term viability of rehabilitation initiatives. By highlighting diverse stakeholders’ evolving impacts, this study advances current understanding of participatory urban renewal. The proposed SIM provides a robust framework for analyzing stakeholder interactions and informs policy interventions aimed at fostering more equitable and inclusive urban rehabilitation in China. ... Read more

This CondoReno Deliverable is a comprehensive document designed to aid Condominium Associations (CAs) in the Netherlands and Flanders with energy renovations. Spearheaded by WNR with collaboration from experts at TU Delft and other institutions, the deliverable introduces a Renovation Roadmap and a Financial Calculation Tool. These are intended to streamline the renovation process by providing a structured approach and simplifying financial decisions for CAs. The Renovation Roadmap serves as a strategic guide, helping CAs understand the entire renovation journey, including the necessary decisions and the roles of different stakeholders. This step-by-step plan (investment proposal method) provides guidance on when which decisions should be made, linked to a decision by the GM. In addition to the widely supported start of a renovation process, the most important decisions are the decision to invest and the final assignment to renovate. Alongside this, the Financial Calculation Tool offers a preliminary financial overview, enabling CAs to assess the economic feasibility of renovations before committing. This tool is particularly designed to present a simplified comparison of costs before and after renovations, incorporating variables like potential subsidies and energy savings, though it does not account for inflation to maintain a consistent comparison basis. The investments and energy savings come from the advisory reports or master plan studies of various types of consultants, such as architects or engineering firms. The primary aim of this deliverable is to facilitate the decision-making process for CAs, reducing barriers to undertaking deep renovations. By providing a clear financial picture and potentially demonstrating cost savings and benefits over time, the tool encourages more CAs to commit to substantial energy efficiency improvements. Future plans for the deliverable include a series of reviews and updates to refine the tool, with considerations for developing it into an app or interactive web tool based on the outcomes of these reviews and available budget. This progression is aimed at enhancing accessibility and user interaction, further supporting CAs in their renovation endeavours. The ultimate goal is to accelerate energy renovations across condominiums by equipping CAs with necessary insights and tools for informed decision-making. ... Read more

It is recommended to integrate specific management competencies in academic education to support the transition towards environmentally sustainable practices, particularly in the construction and real estate sector. This paper explores how architectural management education can integrate environmental sustainability within its current university programmes. In recent years TU Delft explored and experimented with various education initiatives to bring forward environmental sustainability knowledge and to connect with policy, societal and industry practices. This paper describes what we learned from both bottom-up and top-down initiatives implementing environmental sustainability in construction and real estate management education. Bottom-up educational initiatives show that knowledge about transition policies, stakeholder experiences, business models and management practices from a European perspective can help students across the globe to apply knowledge into their local context, reflecting on the overarching management principals across stakeholders, institutions, academic disciplines and cultures. Top-down initiatives show that the university has a vision on integrating sustainability in its curriculum, but that integrating environmental sustainability in construction and real estate management education is still challenging. Adapting the academic curriculum to integrate building and portfolio responses to environmental challenges might be a way forward and the experiences from numerous elective courses and educational initiatives can be a basis to identify the development of a future standard curriculum. ... Read more

Across the European Union (EU), approximately 46% of the population resides in apartment buildings. A majority of these buildings are in need of energy renovation and are managed by Homeowner associations (HOAs). HOAs face distinct challenges in renovating their buildings. Integrated home renovation services (IHRS) have emerged as a potential solution to accelerate highly energy-efficient renovations for HOAs. The question arises: How do current integrated home renovation service providers facilitate energy renovations for homeowner associations, overcoming the prevailing barriers to uptake? This paper explores the current state of IHRS providers operating in four European regions with a focus on the Netherlands and Flanders. The study offers insights into the dynamics of their business models, strategies, and ways forward. The methods employed involve a combination of qualitative approaches. Fourteen business models of IHRS providers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Austria were analysed, to define their strategies within the regional context. The results reveal that while public entities prioritize broad societal challenges, private models focus on operational efficiency and financial sustainability. Public-private partnerships offer a hybrid approach, blending strengths but requiring precise governance to align diverse interests and achieve comprehensive, sustainable outcomes. The findings can inform policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in developing effective and targeted IHRS initiatives in the EU. ... Read more

Buildings in the EU consume around 40 % of energy and are responsible for 36 % of greenhouse gas emissions. This necessitates building energy renovations as a coping strategy for energy reduction. Residential buildings consume about 27 % of the energy use in Europe. Multifamily residential buildings, known as condominiums, feature individually owned apartments and are managed by Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs). HOAs constitute a considerable percentage of the owners of the residential sector in Europe. However, the deep energy renovation rate is still low due to the complex process and the barriers faced by HOAs. There is a lack of understanding of the main barriers to undertaking deep energy renovation projects by HOAs and their potential solutions. Therefore, this paper investigates barriers, incentives, and possible solutions that motivate HOAs to undertake deep energy renovation projects. This study employs a combination of qualitative methods, including archival research, the gathering of information through observations at meetings organized by the EU, four interviews, and a workshop with eleven experts. This exploration was conducted from the perspective of three actors: home renovation providers, public authorities, and policymakers in the Netherlands and Flanders. The barriers are grouped under four categories, namely: financial, legal, social, and technical. The findings indicate that communication, cost, and legal structure are the most significant barriers. The incentives play a vital role only in the early phases of the renovation. The findings can inform policymakers, energy practitioners, and researchers in developing targeted strategies for successfully implementing deep renovation projects for HOAs. ... Read more

The need for energy efficient buildings has become increasingly important in climate change mitigation. Almost 75% of the building stock in Europe is energy inefficient. Residential buildings are responsible for 27% of the total energy consumption in Europe. Integrated home renovation services (IHRS) have emerged as a potential solution to accelerate highly energy-efficient renovations for homeowners’ associations (HOAs). The question arises: How can the business models of current IHRS accelerate highly energy-efficient renovations by HOAs? This report explores the current state of IHRS in Europe with a focus on the viewpoint of the Netherlands and Flanders. The methods used are desk research, questionnaires and interviews. Five business models (BMs) of CondoReno project partners were analyzed, to support their development strategies within the regional context. This report compares IHRS BMs and brings knowledge about the operation of IHRS. The results show that the BMs of the project partners share some similarities and differ in other aspects. Regarding the similarities, all five providers share the value of offering customized energy renovation packages, also in terms of customer segments, by addressing the specific needs of HOAs. They slightly differ regarding the channels used, customer relationships, key resources, key activities and key partners. They differ in revenue/value streams and cost structure, owing to context-specific aspects of the type of organization. As such, this study informs stakeholders about the development of effective and targeted IHRS initiatives in the EU. ... Read more

Shopping centres hold significant energy retrofit potential in the retail sector. However, their complex multi-stakeholder governance structure complicates decision-making for Energy Efficiency Retrofits (EER). Although literature identifies some barriers linked to EER, they are often scattered and not identified within a process perspective that considers their contextual complexities. This study addressed this gap by examining stakeholders’ behaviours, barriers, and relations during EER decision-making processes, to detect stakeholders’ needs to catalyse the energy transition. Qualitative research was conducted on three representative Dutch shopping centres case studies. The cross-case analysis uncovered the decision-making process for EER and new barriers attributed to this building typology. Amongst other, detected barriers can be attributed to limitations with governmental and internal regulations, lifecycle conflicts, proposed interventions being out of scope, and existing technical challenges. The study also revealed causal relationships among stakeholders, showcasing varying interpretations of barriers and highlighting the roles of owners, property managers, and public authorities in overcoming them. Furthermore, the findings indicate the key role that different contextual variables play in the EER decision-making process, such as ownership type, governance structure, and leasing structure. This study offers insights and recommendations for shopping centre owners, property managers, and policymakers, to support them in navigating the energy transition of the retail building stock. Key recommendations include decentralizing decision-making, optimizing governance structure, streamlining sustainability advisors, and acknowledging the collaborative roles of property managers and policymakers in providing effective and holistic solutions. ... Read more

Resident participation is essential for neighborhood rehabilitation. It requires the active involvement of residents and efficient management by organizers. To improve the effectiveness of resident participation, it is necessary to understand the critical success factors (CSFs) underlying it. However, previous research has examined the critical factors from a single-stakeholder perspective, overlooking potential differences in perceptions among stakeholders with diverse roles and rehabilitation experiences. Based on 30 interviews and 255 questionnaires from six stakeholder groups in Wuhan, China, this study explores how the perception of critical factors for effective resident participation varies among local government, community-based organization, designer, contractor, consulting party, and resident. Thirty-seven factors were identified and compared among the stakeholders. Financial Incentive (for participation organizers) was identified as the most critical factor for effective resident participation, followed by Information Disclosure and Transparency, and Trust. Results from the analysis of variance (ANOVA) show that the six groups differed significantly in the importance of most factors (25/37), especially in Participant Education and Prejudice against the Working Group. Interview results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic and rehabilitation experience changed stakeholders’ perceived importance of some factors. Specifically, in future RP initiatives, extra emphasis could be placed on Trait and Capacity (of the working group) and Participation-assistance Technologies. Stakeholders regarded these two factors as more critical as their rehabilitation experience accumulated. By understanding stakeholders' conflicting and changing perceptions of effective resident participation, suggestions were proposed to each stakeholder group to fulfill their distinct participation objectives and improve the overall effectiveness of participation practices. ... Read more

Socially sustainable urban renewal hinges on active public participation, necessitating effective information sharing. Combining Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Ecological Network Analysis (ENA), this study longitudinally investigates how stakeholder information sharing evolves over the project lifecycle of neighborhood rehabilitation and its impacts on resident participation. A representative neighborhood rehabilitation project in Wuhan, China, serves as the study case, with data from 10 interviews, 35 questionnaires, and 3 focus groups. The study suggests that SNA and ENA are complementary and competent in identifying key stakeholders, as well as uncovering undesirable behaviors of manipulation and monopolization, and unhealthy relationships like exploitation and competition. Implementation unit and neighborhood committee emerged as principal information holders, while local media and tenant were least informed. SNA results underscore the central position of neighborhood committee in collecting and disseminating information, demonstrating significant autonomy and control throughout project lifecycle. Conversely, homeowner showed marked dependence and lacked control, particularly in the planning and design phase. ENA findings reveal neighborhood committee’s ongoing struggle with information exploitation, eroding its willingness and capacity to share information during the later phases of rehabilitation process. The information exploitation led to a fragile network that further marginalized local media, undermined by dwindling trust and autonomy. Notably, homeowners amplified their discourse power as project progressed, shifting from passive recipients to active decision-makers. Yet, well-informed homeowners monopolized information sharing, deliberately excluding others with conflicting interests, intensifying issues of inequity and opacity. Policy recommendations are provided to counter unhealthy stakeholder dynamics and promote equitable and inclusive public participation in urban renewal initiatives. ... Read more

In the context of increasing focus on social sustainability, neighborhood rehabilitation has emerged as a crucial component of global urban renewal initiatives. Distinct from most renewal paradigms that are usually one-offs, neighborhood rehabilitation is a long-term endeavor that requires ongoing resident participation to effectively address diverse needs, investment shortages, and governance challenges. Extant research predominantly focuses on residents' initial engagement, leaving the dynamics of continued participation and its influencing factors largely unexamined. Employing the Expectation-Confirmation Model (ECM), this study explores how residents' initial participation experiences influence their intentions to continue participation. Analyzing questionnaire responses from 367 experienced residents in Wuhan, China, the study finds that a mere 38.2 % of residents exhibit re-engage intention. Path analysis shows that initial participation experience influences residents' re-engage intention indirectly through participation satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Residents' re-engage intention is most influenced by level of influence residents hold in decision-making, followed by type of activities they engage in, and stage of their initial involvement. As an exploratory study into the realm of continued participation, this research uncovers several potential pathways and policy recommendations, aiming to ease residents' transition from initial acceptance to sustained engagement in future neighborhood development efforts. ... Read more