As the BIRTUOSS project reaches its final phase, its results are being shared across several major 2026 EU events, highlighting the growing visibility of the Opengela one-stop-shop model for urban regeneration and support to vulnerable households. Developed through two EU-funded projects, the programme was first established under Horizon 2020 (2019–2023), and further strengthened with LIFE funds through BIRTUOSS (2023–2026), with a stronger focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and social equity.

World Sustainable Energy Days – WSED (February 2026)

The first opportunity to showcase BIRTUOSS results at EU level in 2026 came at the WSED in Wels, Austria, one of Europe’s leading annual events on the energy transition and climate neutrality. Bringing together around 350 policymakers, researchers, industry representatives, and project developers, the conference provided a key platform for exchanging knowledge and highlighting innovative solutions in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Opengela was featured in the event’s poster exhibition, which showcases energy projects, innovations, and EU-funded initiatives from across Europe. Representatives from FEDARENE and the Basque Energy Agency (EVE) were present throughout the event to answer questions and share insights on the results and experience gained through the project implementation.

Energy Poverty Advisory Hub – EPAH Annual Conference (March 2026)

BIRTUOSS was also present at the EPAH Annual Conference 2026 in Athens, one of Europe’s key events dedicated to tackling energy poverty. As part of the workshop “From Policy to Practice: Co-creating Solutions for Energy-poor Households”, the project contributed to discussions on how local actors can better support vulnerable households and help translate policy into action.

Representing the project, Gabineteseis and FEDARENE delivered a presentation on the Opengela one-stop-shop approach and led one of the workshop discussion tables from the OSS perspective. Around 35 participants took part in the session, which followed an interactive format, starting with framing the main challenges, moving on to exploring shared solutions, and concluding with reflections on possible action plans.

FEDARENE General Assembly (May 2026)

Over 100 participants from across Europe gathered in Modena, Italy, for the FEDARENE General Assembly, including representatives from regions, energy and climate agencies, and Italian stakeholders from local, regional and national levels. The meeting offered a space to reflect on the increasingly important role of energy agencies in supporting Europe’s resilience, competitiveness, and social cohesion.

Hosted by Modena Energy and Sustainable Development Agency (AESS), the event also highlighted how regions and energy agencies are central to delivering the energy transition in practice. A key moment of the programme was a dedicated OSS interactive marketplace, co-organised by BIRTUOSS and CROSS projects, which showcased how integrated renovation services can support both citizens and public authorities. Within this setting, EVE presented the Opengela model and led the discussion table on OSS for residential renovation, sharing experiences from its implementation.

European Sustainable Energy Week – EUSEW (June 2026)

At the EUSEW in Brussels, Opengela was featured in the policy session “Europe’s powerhouse: energy communities and affordable housing for a just Energy Union”. The session explored how improvements in housing and the development of energy communities can contribute to affordability, resilience, and a more democratic Energy Union. Represented by EVE, one of the partners of the BIRTUOSS project, Opengela was showcased as an example of an integrated one-stop-shop approach supporting building renovation and improving access to existing support schemes for vulnerable households. Around 120 participants attended the session (54 in person and 67 online), bringing together stakeholders from across Europe working on energy and housing.

During the discussion, Opengela highlighted the importance of proximity in ensuring that renovation policies and support mechanisms effectively reach citizens. Drawing on its experience through local neighbourhood offices, the programme demonstrated how personalised guidance can help households overcome information barriers, navigate administrative procedures, and access available funding opportunities. This people-centred approach was presented as a key factor in engaging vulnerable households and facilitating their participation in the energy transition.

“At OPENGELA, we work at neighbourhood level with vulnerable households and see every day that many citizens are not aware of, for example, energy-related subsidies, or struggle to navigate complex administrative procedures. Our role is to bridge the gap between availability and real access. Through a single local interface, we accompany households and tenants throughout related energy and building renovation processes, helping them understand their options and access needed support.” – Joserra Lopez, International Project Specialist, EVE

FEDARENE’s involvement in Opengela builds on a collaboration that started with the HIROSS4ALL project, and it has been a pleasure to contribute to the dissemination and uptake of Opengela results and knowledge through these and other large-scale EU events, helping to share and scale the lessons learned.