The AEGIR project was highlighted during the European Committee of the Regions stakeholder consultation session “State of the Energy Union: Getting Prepared for a Smooth Implementation of the Energy Transition in Line with Fit for 55 Targets.” 

Representing AEGIR, Carsten Rothballer, Head of Sustainable Energy Systems at ICLEI, underlined the urgent need for binding energy efficiency targets for Europe’s building stock. Rothballer stressed that policy should focus on the energy system as a whole rather than on isolated components, and that local authorities must be recognised as key allies in achieving these goals. 

He identified digitalisation as a driver for the sector’s transformation, alongside the need to scale solutions, ensure their affordability, and design them with future energy systems in mind. This vision also requires enhancing the resilience of the energy system in the face of climate change impacts. 

Drawing on the AEGIR approach, Rothballer emphasised that adaptable renovation at scale, based on a plug and play concept tailored to different building types and climate zones, are a great example of approaching adaptable building stock renovation. He also pointed to nature-based solutions, renewable energy integration, and improved energy efficiency as core pathways forward. In conclusion, he shared examples of successful innovative financing mechanisms that could enable such large-scale transformations. 

The session, held in Brussels, brought together stakeholders from across Europe to exchange strategies for delivering the EU’s Fit for 55 objectives and accelerating the energy transition.

The recording session has been published here. ICLEI’s intervention runs between 15:40:35- 15:51:08.