SUPERSHINE presents an integrated model that combines financial innovation, energy poverty reduction, citizen engagement and circularity to make social housing renovation both climate-neutral and socially just.

The European project SUPERSHINE releases its final publication, showcasing a holistic and replicable approach to social housing renovation that aligns environmental sustainability with social inclusion and financial viability.

In line with the European Green Deal, the Just Transition framework and the New European Bauhaus, SUPERSHINE demonstrates that transforming social housing requires more than technical solutions. It calls for an integrated approach that addresses economic, social and cultural dimensions simultaneously.

Tested in the lighthouse cities of Trieste, Riga and Herning, the project shows that deep energy renovation can significantly reduce energy demand while ensuring affordability and long-term investment value. Energy consumption was reduced by more than half across the pilot districts, with household energy expenditure decreasing by up to 45%, thanks to renovation models designed to protect tenants from cost increases.

At the same time, SUPERSHINE proves that citizen engagement is essential to the success of the energy transition. By involving residents as active contributors—from co-design to co-decision—the project strengthened social acceptance and ensured that renovation strategies reflect real needs.

The environmental dimension is equally central. Through life-cycle assessment and circular construction practices, the project demonstrates how renovation can drastically reduce embodied emissions and construction waste, offering a more sustainable alternative to new building.

Bringing together financial tools, social safeguards, participatory processes and circular approaches, SUPERSHINE offers a concrete pathway for European cities aiming to renovate social housing in a way that is not only efficient, but also fair and inclusive.

Read our Final Publication here!

Contacts:  

SUPERSHINE Project coordinator:

Riccardo Coletta, APRE : coletta@apre.it

Communication Manager for SUPER-i & SUPERSHINE:  
Alice de Ferrari, ICONS : alice.deferrari@icons.it

Project website:

https://super-i-supershine.eu/super-i/about/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/super-i-euproject/