From the Basque Country to Europe: INBUILT takes inspiration from Opengela to learn about advanced strategies for large-scale urban regeneration
GAIA and Bilbao Municipal Housing, partners in the European BIRTUOSS project (Opengela), welcomed several representatives from the INBUILT project, coordinated by Université Côte d’Azur and made up of 16 partners, to the TorreUrizar living lab on the 25th of November. This project is developing innovative construction products and systems designed to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.
The delegation was able to see first-hand how Basque initiatives associated with Opengela are developing a comprehensive neighbourhood regeneration model in line with INBUILT’s vision: systemic, inclusive and people-centred renewal. During the visit, the delegation was shown how the one-stop shop model applied in the Basque Country works, combining technical, social, legal and financial advice and incorporating financial mechanisms such as MAS Opengela to address situations of economic vulnerability and combat energy poverty.
The evolution of the model was also explained through the Bilbao neighbourhood’s living lab, which broadens the scope of the approach by integrating digitalisation, building passports, industrialised solutions, renewable energies and nature-based solutions (NBS), together with governance frameworks that enable structured intervention at neighbourhood level.
The visit to TorreUrizar allowed INBUILT partners to observe how these principles are applied in a real-world setting: a large-scale intervention combining technical innovation, citizen participation and environmental improvements aimed at strengthening neighbourhood well-being. The experience provided valuable insights for the future implementation of the INBUILT project, particularly in areas such as governance, social inclusion and SBN integration.
The event highlighted the synergies between the projects and reinforced Opengela’s role as a benchmark model in Europe for sustainable, inclusive and neighbourhood-based regeneration.
The BIRTUOSS project, led by the Basque Government’s Department of Housing and Urban Agenda, has implemented an urban regeneration model that is already being applied in 25 neighbourhoods in the Basque Country.
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