EQUAL-Q: Energy-efficient planning for social neighbourhood development

Energy-efficient neighborhood planning is an important component in successfully implementing the transition in the heating sector. It enables the development of cross-building, neighborhood-wide measures and strategies to reduce heat consumption and switch to a heating supply based on renewable energies.

However, neighborhoods are unique and differ in many aspects: from the building structures and the type of existing heating technologies to the local stakeholder groups. The interests and wishes of the various stakeholders and their respective obstacles have not yet been sufficiently taken into account in the planning and implementation of energy-efficient neighborhood solutions. However, incorporating stakeholder interests and taking socio-economic factors into account, such as those of building owners and tenants (e.g., household types and incomes), are essential factors in making the local heat transition socially acceptable.   

The EQUAL-Q project is developing an integrated planning tool for the heat transition in neighborhoods that takes into account socio-economic surveys and analyses of stakeholder interests. The aim is to increase the likelihood of implementation and acceptance of energy-efficient neighborhood concepts, which are currently being developed in many municipalities.

In this project, the IÖW is involved in the participatory development of target scenarios for energy-efficient neighborhood development. To this end, possible options for a socially acceptable heat transition are being explored in two model neighborhoods in collaboration with local stakeholders. In addition to central conflicts of interest and stakeholder-specific obstacles, the aim is to identify solutions and success factors that are relevant for the planning and implementation of integrated neighborhood concepts.

In addition, the project team is developing building clusters that take socio-economic aspects into account, such as ownership structures, household income of residents, and existing rents. These building clusters make it possible to reflect different social compositions in the neighborhood in the planning methodology and should also contribute to transferring the project findings to other neighborhoods.