On Friday, 12 December, as part of the Annual Conference of the Urban Rehabilitation, Renovation and Regeneration Group (3R) organised by AVS and AVS Euskadi, held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a panel discussion was held on “Innovation projects in the field of urban rehabilitation and regeneration”. Participants included Ana Telleria, director of Neighbourhood Regeneration and Urban Agenda for the Basque Government and leader of the European BIRTUOSS project (operating under the Opengela brand), and Miguel Segovia, Policy Coordinator for GBCE (Green Building Council Spain) and partner in the project.

Telleria emphasised that the central focus of the Opengela programme is neighbourhood offices, designed as local spaces where citizens are supported in making decisions about the renovation of their buildings and surroundings. She highlighted the importance of the Urban Vulnerability Inventory, which will take on even greater prominence as it becomes the basis for future subsidy programmes. Telleria stressed that multi-level governance is essential to address current challenges, based on collaboration between local, regional, national and European administrations, as well as on trust, a comprehensive diagnosis and a non-institutional approach that brings public policies closer to neighbourhoods.

During the Q&A session, Telleria focused on the challenge of integrating all rehabilitation tools into a single coherent system, where the one-stop shop acts as a clear reference point for citizens. A space that offers diverse information, but with a clear and consistent message, facilitating informed decision-making and strengthening neighbourhood and community awareness, which is key to raising awareness, building trust and reducing fears.

On his part, Miguel Segovia highlighted the role of GBCE as an ally for the transformation of the building sector and emphasised its work in developing tools to assess the sustainability of buildings, creating technical solutions and disseminating information through talks, conferences and courses. He also stressed the importance of initiatives such as the EU Peers community, which aims to integrate and support the various agents involved in the renovation process, with more than 75 organisations in Spain and more than 400 in Europe. In this project, GBCE actively contributes to defining the role of the Renovation Agent, promoting renovation offices and influencing public policies and regulatory frameworks, laying the foundations for an increasingly solid sector at national and European level.

Segovia also addressed one of the major challenges facing the sector: how to raise public awareness about renovation. He pointed out the need for a coordinated effort in terms of messaging, connecting with issues that are important to people, such as comfort, health, quality of life, safety and independence, without forgetting resilience in the face of climate change. ‘We need real communication campaigns, with consistent messages shared across the sector,’ he said.

The panel made it clear that innovation in urban regeneration does not depend solely on technical solutions, but also on new forms of governance, communication and citizen engagement, which are fundamental pillars of projects such as Opengela.

Other BIRTUOSS partners also took part in the conference, such as Cíclica (through Ander Bilbao). The programme included a visit to the Zaramaga neighbourhood in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where a neighbourhood office of the Opengela programme is promoting urban regeneration work. Txari Vallejo, architect at Bilbao Municipal Housing, attended the visit.

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.

BUILD UP, the European portal on energy efficiency and renewable energy in buildings, dedicates its topic of the month to the role of one-stop shops in supporting residents.

In this context, FEDARENE analyses in an article how various European initiatives are promoting residential energy renovation and includes the Opengela as one of the notable examples.

The article recognises the value of the Opengela model and its network of neighbourhood offices that accompany local communities throughout the renovation process: from technical advice and administrative and financial management to social mediation and community support. More than 6,400 people and 2,700 dwellings have already benefited from this comprehensive approach.

In addition, the text shows how initiatives such as EU Peers and CitizenLedRenovation (CLR) complement and extend this work at national and European level, creating a more coordinated ecosystem to accelerate the energy transition.

You can read the full article here.

• The project, which involves eight buildings and a semi-detached house in the San Sebastian neighbourhood, represents a total investment of €15.1 million.
• It also includes the redevelopment of public spaces, landscaping work and energy and sustainability improvements, among other measures.

With around 20,000 inhabitants and more than 8,900 homes, Altza is one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in San Sebastian. More than 85% of its residential stock was built before 1981, making comprehensive investment in refurbishment and modernisation essential. The works, which have been underway since the second quarter of 2024, are now entering their final phase, with all comprehensive refurbishment work expected to be completed by the end of the year. However, work on public spaces is expected to continue throughout 2026.

This is one of the largest operations promoted by the Department of Housing and Urban Agenda, with a total investment of €15.1 million: €9.2 million contributed by the Basque Government through PIIE funds; €3.2 million by Donostia City Council and €2.6 million from the neighbourhood.

The first line of action has focused on the extensive renovation of residential buildings, reaching a total of 202 homes distributed across eight homeowners’ associations and one semi-detached house, located in the most vulnerable areas of the neighbourhood. These actions improve accessibility, energy efficiency (with an approximate economic saving of 60%), habitability and fire protection, and reinforce structures and adapt buildings to current regulations. The ventilated façades incorporate a metal substructure, air chamber and thermal insulation, thus improving the interior temperature and humidity. In addition, several entrances have newly constructed external lifts.

At the same time, to support communities throughout the process, a neighbourhood office (Opengela) has been set up to offer local, professional advice on procedures, information and resolving queries, encouraging active community participation.

The project also includes the redevelopment and improvement of public spaces, with the renaturalisation of streams in Auditz Akular; the recovery of contaminated soil in the Larres Watercourse; and the creation of greener environments in Ederrena Square and the accesses to the Herrera pelota court. In addition, the routes to the Altza health centre and the Harri Berri ikastola (Basque-medium school) are being improved, with the aim of facilitating mobility for hundreds of families.

In terms of energy sustainability, local energy communities have been set up: a photovoltaic plant on the roof of the Altza public school supplies 13 buildings and public facilities with 98,075 kWh per year, and another plant in the sports centre will produce 377,505 kWh per year in a shared self-consumption scheme that will benefit municipal facilities.

The digitisation of homes allows real-time monitoring of parameters such as air quality, humidity, temperature, CO₂ levels and energy consumption, and provides families with tools to optimise energy use and improve their comfort and health.

The project also highlights the value of Lau Haizeta Park, renewing signage by designing environmental trails with QR codes. A study of visitor numbers has been carried out to guide future improvements, consolidating a natural space that is widely used by the community.

In this way, the comprehensive regeneration of Altza has established itself as a pioneering project in the Basque Country, both for its economic scope and its social impact. The combination of housing renovation, local services, clean energy, digitalisation and improvement of the urban landscape represents a model to be followed for future operations in other neighbourhoods of San Sebastian and the Basque Country as a whole.

• The renovation of 130 homes and the reurbanisation of the neighbourhood have involved an investment of €10.8 million, of which €3.3 million (30%) comes from the Department of Housing and Agenda.
• The project integrates nature-based solutions (NBS) and reduces non-renewable primary energy consumption by more than 60%.
• Neighbourhood participation and the proximity office (Opengela) have been the cornerstones of the neighbourhood’s regeneration.

The Aramotz neighbourhood in Durango has reached a historic milestone by becoming the first neighbourhood in the BIRTUOSS-Opengela project to successfully complete its comprehensive urban regeneration process. This achievement represents a decisive step towards more sustainable, accessible and cohesive neighbourhoods, and sets a benchmark for future interventions in the Basque Country.

The intervention involved a total investment of €10,796,589, jointly financed by various entities: the Basque Government’s Department of Housing and Urban Agenda (30.47%), Next Generation EU funds (32.57%), Durango Town Council (18.42%) and direct contributions from local residents (18.54%). This joint effort reflects a shared commitment to promoting a transformation that goes beyond the physical and focuses on improving people’s quality of life.

A renovated and more sustainable neighbourhood

The project involved the renovation of 130 homes and six commercial premises, distributed across 16 buildings with ground floors and three upper floors. The work included the installation of lifts to ensure accessibility, structural reinforcement, the modernisation of facilities and comprehensive improvements to energy efficiency.

One of the keys has been the commitment to sustainability: the interventions carried out have enabled a reduction of more than 60% in non-renewable primary energy consumption, an essential requirement for accessing aid from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. This progress not only benefits the environment, but also represents significant savings in energy costs for families.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) have also been adopted as the cornerstone of regeneration. These measures enable nature to be integrated into urban planning and respond to the challenges of climate change through sustainable drainage systems, the renaturalisation of spaces and more efficient water cycle management.

At the same time, the reurbanisation of the neighbourhood has transformed public spaces with the creation of new green areas, pedestrian streets, renovated lighting, modern street furniture and meeting places for community life. The Larrinagatxu stream has also been renaturalised, and the integration of the natural environment with the urban fabric has been improved.

The role of the technical team and neighbourhood

The neighbourhood office (Opengela), managed by the municipal public company Durango Eraikitzen and located in the neighbourhood itself, has been another key element of the project. From there, technical, administrative and social assistance has been provided to the residents’ communities, facilitating the processing of grants, the coordination of interventions and the comprehensive management of the works.

On the technical side, MAAB Arquitectura y Urbanismo was responsible for the design and planning, in collaboration with the SOIL Arquitectura del Paisaje studio. Their work has been recognised for the quality of the project and for the effort made in the comprehensive transformation of the neighbourhood. In turn, the execution of the works has been carried out by Codenor Bizkaina de Rehabilitaciones and Construcciones Intxausti, whose exemplary coordination and rigorous compliance with deadlines have been decisive for the success of the process.

One of the most notable elements of this regeneration has been the active participation of the neighbourhood. Residents have not only contributed financially, but have also been involved throughout the process, making decisions as a community, collaborating with the proximity office and contributing their vision of how they wanted the neighbourhood to be in the future.

Thanks to this involvement, Aramotz has become an example of urban regeneration co-created by citizens, institutions and technical teams, a model based on transparency, proximity and shared commitment.

A model that is expanding

The Mayor of Durango, Mireia Elkoroiribe, emphasised that ‘the comprehensive regeneration of Aramotz has been a strategic project for Durango, not only because of its budgetary scale, but also because of the profound impact it has on the daily lives of the people who live in the neighbourhood. We are talking about improving homes, making doorways accessible, and creating public spaces designed for living together, resting and sharing. We are talking about improving homes, making doorways accessible, creating public spaces designed for socialising, relaxing and sharing’.

She added that ‘it is an initiative that transforms the physical environment, yes, but above all it transforms the living conditions of hundreds of residents’. Elkoroiribe concluded by emphasising that ‘Aramotz is being reborn, and this is the result of years of joint work between institutions and the people of Durango. It is a shared source of pride, a model of a municipality that we are extending to the whole of Durango: more accessible, greener and more inclusive’.

For his part, Juan Carlos Abascal, Deputy Minister for Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda of the Basque Government, pointed out that the success achieved in Aramotz is the result of collaboration between institutions, citizens and businesses, and a clear example of how complex projects can be carried out if they are tackled in a coordinated manner.

The BIRTUOSS-Opengela project aims to comprehensively regenerate entire neighbourhoods, putting people at the centre. The regeneration of Aramotz began to take shape in 2016, through various urban studies and social diagnoses, and its experience will serve as a reference and guide for future interventions in other municipalities.

With this completion, Durango and the Basque Country are taking a decisive step towards a new urban model that is committed to accessibility, sustainability, social cohesion and citizen participation. Aramotz has not only been transformed as a neighbourhood: it has become the symbol of a paradigm shift in the way cities are conceived and experienced.