Opengela programme showcased in Brussels as a benchmark for integrated urban regeneration

Opengela programme showcased in Brussels as a benchmark for integrated urban regeneration

  • The Basque Government organised an event bringing together leading members of the European Commission and the European Parliament, as well as representatives from the financial sector, industry, research and the third sector. 

On 15 February, the Basque Government held a conference at the Delegation of the Basque Country in Brussels with a twofold objective. On the one hand, to present to the various European stakeholders the progress of urban regeneration in the Basque Country, and how it is being developed through the Opengela programme and the new European project BIRTUOSS. On the other hand, to gather the contributions of the various stakeholders at European level and to discuss how to develop effective models to facilitate the implementation of EU legislation in this area.

During the conference, comprehensive urban regeneration was addressed from a Basque and European perspective, focusing on four key aspects: social integration, promotion of employability and lifelong learning, involvement of companies and SMEs from various sectors, inclusive financing and tools to facilitate the monitoring of rehabilitation through the Building Passport and the Digital Logbook.

The event was attended by a number of Opengela – BIRTUOSS partners: Ignacio de la Puerta, director of Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda of the Basque Government and coordinator of the project; Jon Ansoleaga, general director of Build:inn; Olga Martín, general director of Aclima; Alex Carrascosa, member of EDE Fundazioa; Jokin Garatea, from the executive team of GAIA; Andoni Hidalgo, in-house consultant of Gabineteseis; José Ramón López, from the Basque Energy Agency (EVE) and Marta Lupatelli, project manager of Fedarene.

In this way, the OSS model was discussed as a tool for social integration. Experts from the Basque social sphere presented the example of the intersectoral integration and employability roundtables that are currently underway in more than 15 Basque municipalities, and which address the urban regeneration of the most vulnerable part of the population. In relation to this point, it was also stated that one of the conclusions reached by Opengela is the existence of a failure in the financial market that leaves a significant part of the population on the margins of building rehabilitation projects. Thus, there is a need for a broad debate on how to establish financial mechanisms that respond to this reality, and to discuss the role of public authorities in meeting the needs of this large sector of the population.

On the other hand, representatives from the research world such as the University of the Basque Country and the Brussels-based think-tank Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) highlighted the need for a «shift in focus» in urban regeneration from the perspective of the individual building to the neighbourhood scale. This was illustrated by the presentation of the results of a recently published BPIE research on ‘positive energy neighbourhoods‘.

Basque companies were also present at the conference and spoke about their experience in a project such as BIRTUOSS, in which the private sector is actively integrated with construction, environmental and technological companies. Experience has shown them that there are serious shortages of skilled labour in the different professional profiles required, which hinder the successful deployment of the so-called ‘European Renovation Wave’. Also, the OSS model has so far been developed with a certain scepticism towards and from the business sector, and it is believed that it is time to involve industry in robust and long-lasting public-private cooperation schemes actively. From the European perspective, a representative of Saint-Gobain underlined that the challenges of companies in the Basque Region are shared by the European industry in general, and praised the vision of multidisciplinary alliance that is being followed in BIRTUOSS.

Finally, the Basque Government emphasised that even with a participative citizenry, effective financial mechanisms and companies with a well-trained workforce, the transformation of cities through large-scale comprehensive urban regeneration faces a huge operational challenge. In this way, the Basque executive presented two innovative initiatives such as a Building Passport (BP) that incorporates a digital registration system that can represent a reference on the way forward in the near future, and a Digital Building Logbook (DBL) tool developed by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in collaboration with Cíclica Arquitectura SCCL and funded by Opengela, which consists of interactive and customisable maps that can help organisers plan renovations and identify synergies to increase the energy efficiency of neighbourhoods.

Thus, the conclusion drawn from the talk was that the European Union’s Renovation Wave is entering a crucial moment and that, therefore, it is now the national and regional governments that must implement it effectively.

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Opengela’s new website is now available 

Opengela’s new website is now available 

On Friday, February 16, the new Opengela website was launched. This will be the main source of information of the European project BIRTUOSS.

Thus, interested people will be able to find out what Opengela is, who it is for, and where their nearest Opengela office is located in case they want to go to get information about the available grants.

In addition, a ‘Neighbourhoods’ section has been added to the website where all the places where this urban regeneration programme is being implemented in the Basque Country are listed. Here you will find the main information on each one of them, divided by region. In total, there are 25 neighbourhoods and more than 3,200 families are being assisted. In many of them, in addition to the comprehensive renovation of buildings, work is being carried out on the refurbishment of their surroundings, and specific employment plans are being developed for the population of these neighbourhoods.

Likewise, in the ‘Contact’ section, with the aim of making it more visual, a map has been added where you can see all the Opengelas currently operating in the Basque Country, as well as using drop-downs that make the information more accessible, with the main contact details of each Opengela and the opening hours for the public.

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Do you know the EU Building Stock Observatory? 

EU Building Stock Observatory

Do you know the EU Building Stock Observatory? 

EU Building Stock Observatory

The European Commission’s EU Building Stock Observatory (BSO) is a tool designed to enhance the monitoring of the EU’s existing energy policies and initiatives, to give transparent information on the EU building stock, and to help shape future policy making.

A data base, mapper, and fact sheet with interactive graphics and tables containing information about the stock of EU buildings and energy usage are all included in the design of the BSO. These can be downloaded and viewed on screen for later use.

The tool will ultimately cover a wide range of energy-related topics and include information of energy consumption, building stock, energy performance certificates, installed building elements and technical building systems, zero energy buildings, renovation rates, as well as topics like energy poverty and financing.

The tool’s present iteration just addresses three areas and is the initial stage of a significant overhaul:

  • Building stock
  • Renovation rates
  • Energy consumption

In the Basque Country, the Department of Territorial Planning, Housing and Transport of the Basque Government, as part of the Opengela project, launched a tool to track the energy performance of buildings and homes. Thus, each user can exclusively consult the energy performance monitoring data through the following link: https://www.stechome.net/monitorizacion/GV/

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24 unemployed people will receive paid training at the Opengela facilities in the Otxarkoaga neighbourhood of Bilbao for a year 

Formación Opengela Otxarkoaga

24 unemployed people will receive paid training at the Opengela facilities in the Otxarkoaga neighbourhood of Bilbao for a year 

Formación Opengela Otxarkoaga

24 unemployed people will receive training related to energy efficiency and the use of new technologies to subsequently provide advice on these two aspects to users who come to Bilbao Municipal Housing. The place chosen for the classes and upcoming advice is the Opengela located in the neighbourhood of Otxarkoaga, one of the pilot neighbourhoods of the European HIROSS4all programme, where work was carried out on 15 house numbers of five buildings with 238 dwellings.

The socio-occupational inclusion projects are coordinated and managed by Bilbao Ekintza and the Directorate of Employment and Inclusion of the Basque Government’s Department of Labour and Employment, and they have the collaboration of Bilbao Municipal Housing. In addition, the project has been funded by Next Generation.

This experience is now being extended to other neighbourhoods in the city whose projects are linked to the Torreurizar and Párroco Unceta Urban Regeneration projects (in the Santutxu neighbourhood of Bilbao).

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The neighbourhood of Torreurizar becomes the ‘living lab’ of the BIRTUOSS project

Torreurizar

The neighbourhood of Torreurizar becomes the ‘living lab’ of the BIRTUOSS project

Torreurizar

The European BIRTUOSS project will launch a series of social, economic and environmental initiatives and, in order to test their effectiveness, will use the Torreurizar neighbourhood in Bilbao as a test bench. Its operation will experiment with different formulas and will work on co-creation with the neighbourhood with the aim of replicating this model in other Basque, Spanish and European cities in the future.

The novelty lies in the fact that, in parallel to the renovation work on the buildings, a 12-month employment and training plan is being developed for 12 long-term unemployed people from the neighbourhood. The aim is to train these residents in digitalisation and energy efficiency so that they can subsequently provide training and information to other people in the neighbourhood and so that they can improve their relationship with the e-government and optimise their energy bills. 

In addition, programmes will be carried out to recover the commercial activity of some of the 9 Torreurizar premises.

More information: https://opengela.eus/neighbourhoods-en

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Opengela receives the support of the LIFE programme to integrate social, economic and environmental aspects in the regeneration of the neighbourhoods

Opengela receives the support of the LIFE programme to integrate social, economic and environmental aspects in the regeneration of the neighbourhoods

Representatives of the 14 partner organisations during the project launch meeting.

  • The new European project will last three years and provide continuity to the model implemented in the Basque Country, with local offices in rehabilitated neighbourhoods.
  • The Opengela model of urban regeneration began in 2019 with two pilot experiences in Otxarkoaga (Bilbao) and Txonta (Eibar) and is being extended to another twenty Basque neighbourhoods.
  • The project -funded with 1.5 million Euros- brings together the experience of 14 partners from public and private entities, foundations, clusters and European organisations, led by the Department of Territorial Planning of the Basque Government.
  • The Torreurizar neighbourhood in Bilbao will serve as a test bench to experiment with the project’s progress.

In 2019, the Basque Country launched the Opengela model of urban regeneration which set up neighbourhood offices in different municipalities. The success of the initiative has meant that the European Commission has granted funding for a new project – called BIRTUOSS – through the LIFE programme, which will cover the next three years. It will give continuity to the urban regeneration process, which will now be reinforced by the integration of social, economic and environmental aspects.

Opengela was created in 2019 as a project funded through the European Horizon 2020 programme. For almost four years, a management model was developed consisting of a network of one-stop-shop offices that accompany the neighbourhood in the refurbishment of their buildings, providing -in addition to expert advice on technical and financial matters- the necessary proximity and trust during the long process that these actions entail. The starting point was two pilot experiences in the neighbourhoods of Otxarkoaga (Bilbao) and Txonta (Eibar) and the model is currently being extended to around twenty neighbourhoods in the Basque Country.

“The success of the first Opengela project and its replication to other municipalities has been key for the European Commission to renew its confidence in the Basque model of urban regeneration” says Ignacio de la Puerta, director of Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda of the Basque Government and coordinator of the BIRTUOSS project. “In this project that is now starting, we will continue with the approach based on a management model that can be extended to all the neighbourhoods in the Basque Country, through the proximity of offices. But we will provide a more systemic approach, implementing innovative formulas so that, in addition to the intervention in the buildings, other actions are incorporated with the aim of improving the quality of life in the neighbourhoods”.

The project provides a comprehensive vision of urban regeneration, focusing on a management system for the whole of the Basque Country, with five key elements: decarbonisation on a neighbourhood scale (not just for each building), the incorporation of nature-based solutions in the urban environment, the territorial perspective of the deployment of this intervention model with the leadership of public administrations in collaboration with the private sector, based on the consolidation of the model of proximity offices and the application of affordable financing formulas.

14 partners in the European project

The aim is to achieve improvements in the social, economic and environmental aspects of city life. To achieve this, BIRTUOSS will count on the participation of 14 partners from the institutional and private sectors, foundations, clusters and European organisations.

The consortium is led by the Department of Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda of the Basque Government. It also includes the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), Bilbao Municipal Housing (VVMM), the clusters of Environment (Aclima), the Construction Industry (Eraikune) and Knowledge and Technology (GAIA), the CAVIAR research group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), EDE Fundazioa, the Cíclica cooperative (specialist in decarbonisation strategies), as well as companies with expertise in financing (GNE Finance), communication (Gabineteseis) and European affairs (Zabala Innovation), and also two European-level bodies such as Fedarene (European Federation of Energy and Environment Agencies and Regions) and Green Building Council Spain (GBCe).

Pilot experience at Torreurizar (Bilbao)

The project will use the Torreurizar neighbourhood in Bilbao as a test bench. The proximity office installed there will experiment with different formulas in the social, economic and environmental fields, with an approach based on co-creation with the neighbourhood and with the aim that in the future they can be applied and scaled up in other cities not only in the Basque Country but also in Spain and Europe.

Torreurizar, located in the Irala neighbourhood of Bilbao, has 25 house numbers and 264 homes whose refurbishment process has already begun. The proximity office that serves the neighbourhood is also up and running.

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The European Opengela project concludes with a new urban regeneration model that is already being applied in 10 neighbourhoods and will be extended to another 14

The European Opengela project concludes with a new urban regeneration model that is already being applied in 10 neighbourhoods and will be extended to another 14

The Opengela delegation in Brussels together with Martin Eibl, Senior Project Advisor at CINEA.

  • In three and a half years, it has set up neighbourhood offices in Otxarkoaga (Bilbao) and Txonta (Eibar) and in Durango, Lasarte, Pasaia, Abanto-Zierbena, Santurtzi, Valle de Trápaga, Orduña and Amurrio. 
  • The ‘opengelas’ of the two pilots accompany nearly 800 people in the refurbishment of their buildings. So far it has led to an average energy saving per dwelling of more than 60%, an investment in sustainable energy of 9.6 million euros, a saving in CO2 emissions of 758 t/year, as well as mobilising private investment of 3.2 million euros.

After three and a half years of work, the Opengela project concludes with its main objective fulfilled: to establish a new model of urban regeneration that is already being applied in 10 neighbourhoods in the Basque Country and which plans to be extended to another 14. The project, financed by the European Horizon 2020 programme, presented its main conclusions yesterday, 17 November, in Brussels, at an event held at the Committee of the Regions.

The conference entitled ‘The power of One-Stop-Shops’ was attended by the delegate of the Basque Government in Brussels, Marta Marín, as well as the director of Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda, Ignacio de la Puerta, who heads the project consortium. Txari Vallejo (Bilbao Municipal Housing) and Ibon Irazola (Debegesa) also took part to explain the development of the two pilot projects in the Otxarkoaga (Bilbao) and Txonta (Eibar) neighbourhoods.

The European Opengela project is coming to an end, having achieved the objectives proposed at its beginning and -above all- responding to one of the most important requirements that the European Commission asks of the projects it finances: to ensure their continuity over time with the creation of a solid and replicable model.

During the time the project has lasted, the neighbourhood offices of the two pilot projects have assisted a total of 780 people who, thanks to the support of technical and administrative staff, have started up renovation processes in their buildings, reaching a total of 469 dwellings. The renovation interventions have achieved clear improvements in the quality of life of the residents. On the one hand, actions have been carried out in the facilities to improve accessibility (installation of lifts, refurbishment of doorways), or the installation of fire safety systems. On the other hand, energy improvements have been made (façade insulation, installation of boilers, replacement of windows, etc.) which have had a direct impact on the substantial improvement in the quality and comfort conditions of the dwellings, identified by a significant improvement in indoor air quality.

These improvements translate into an investment in sustainable energy of 9.6 million euros, a saving in energy demand of more than 3.9 GWh/year, a reduction in CO2 emissions of 758 tCO2/year, as well as mobilising private investment of 3.2 million euros.

On the other hand, the project has facilitated funding through a specific system of the Opengela model, aimed primarily at serving people at risk of vulnerability. To this end, two-year credit lines have been created to finance public aid, financing has been facilitated for homeowners’ associations, and the age limit for access to financing has been extended to 70 years of age (the average age of the people assisted is over 58), among other measures.

A scalable and replicable project

As Ignacio de la Puerta explained, the experience gained with the Opengela project, in addition to improving the quality of life of residents, «has enabled the development of a new management model that can be extended to the rest of the Basque Country with the objectives of reducing the risk of energy poverty among citizens, creating zero energy balance and friendly neighbourhoods with universal accessibility in the building stock and in urban environments and that can become carbon sinks in a significant contribution to mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change».

The success of this formula has led to its extension to other municipalities such as Lasarte (Basaundi Bailara) and Durango (Aramotz), as well as others such as Pasaia (Andonaegi), Abanto-Zierbena (Las Peñucas), Santurtzi (Aurora Vildósola), Valle de Trápaga (San Andrés neighbourhood), Orduña (in the Dolores Madaria and Landata neighbourhoods) and in Amurrio (Goikolarra).

In addition, there are another 14 neighbourhoods in the Basque Country that are in the early stages of implementation. In Alava, work will be carried out in the Zaramaga neighbourhood in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in Bizkaia in three neighbourhoods in Bilbao (Párroco Unzeta, Torre Urizar and Uretamendi), in Bermeo (Iparragirre and Txibitxiaga) and in Sestao (Vista Alegre); and in Gipuzkoa in Arrasate (Santa Teresa neighbourhood), San Sebastian (Altza), Eibar (Hijos de Gabilondo), Elgoibar (Sigma housing), Errenteria (Beraun), Leaburu (Txarama), Soraluze (Ezozia) and Irun.

At the European level, in addition to having shared experiences with many other «One-Stop-Shops» in France (Picardie-Pass and Île-de-France énergies), Ireland (Tipperary-SuperHomes), Italy (Sharing Cities – Milan) and Austria (RecoBooster – Vienna), it has also generated interest in other places to implement this model of urban regeneration. This is the case of two regions in Croatia (on the one hand, Medjimurje, and on the other, the counties of Varazdin, Koprivnica-Krizevci and Virovitica-Podravina), one in Poland (Mazovia), one in Greece (Thessaloniki), as well as Extremadura and Asturias, and an Irish entity implemented in three counties (Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford). All of them have visited the pilot neighbourhoods of Opengela with the idea of replicating the model.

During the session, there was also space to listen to other cases of good practice, such as AGREE (a project also led by the Basque Government), ComAct (an urban regeneration project implemented in several Eastern European countries) and Renowatt (a project implemented in the Belgian region of Wallonia). In the second part of the day, Julien Dijol (from the European Association for Social Housing, Housing Europe, also a partner of Opengela) and Amélie Ancelle (from Energy-Cities, the European grouping of cities for sustainable energy) took part. 

Example of public-private collaboration

The European Opengela project started in May 2019 and is an example of public-private collaboration. In addition to the Basque Government, there are other public entities in the consortium, such as the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), Bilbao Municipal Housing and Debegesa, as well as two European-level bodies (FEDARENE and Housing Europe) and firms specialising in financing (GNE Finance), communication (Gabineteseis) and European affairs (Zabala).

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The Opengela project presents its conclusions on the implementation of a new model of urban regeneration in Brussels tomorrow

The Opengela project presents its conclusions on the implementation of a new model of urban regeneration in Brussels tomorrow

  • This European project funded by the Horizon 2020 programme began three and a half years ago with two pilot experiences in the neighbourhoods of Otxarkoaga (Bilbao) and Txonta (Eibar). 
  • The creation of neighbourhood offices, which accompany the neighbourhood in the process of rehabilitating their buildings, has been successfully implemented and is already spreading to other Basque municipalities.

The Opengela project is coming to an end. Funded by the European Horizon 2020 programme, it has promoted a new model of urban regeneration for three and a half years. Tomorrow it will present its main conclusions in Brussels at an event to be held at the Committee of the Regions. 

Under the title ‘The power of One-Stop Shops’, the main advances of this new model of urban regeneration will be presented, which is based on neighbourhood offices that support the neighbourhood throughout the process of rehabilitating their buildings.

Two neighbourhoods have been used as pilot projects: Otxarkoaga (Bilbao) and Txonta (Eibar). And after three and a half years, the success of this formula has led to its extension to other municipalities such as Lasarte (Basaundi Bailara) and Durango (Aramotz), as well as others such as Pasaia (Andonaegi), Abanto-Zierbena (Las Peñucas), Santurtzi (Aurora Vildósola), Valle de Trápaga (San Andrés neighbourhood), Orduña (in the Dolores Madaria and Landata neighbourhoods) and in Amurrio (Goikolarra).

In addition, there are another 14 neighbourhoods in the Basque Country that are in the early stages of implementation. In Alava, work will be carried out in the Zaramaga neighbourhood in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in Bizkaia in three neighbourhoods in Bilbao (Párroco Unzeta, Torre Urizar and Uretamendi), in Bermeo (Iparragirre and Txibitxiaga) and Sestao (Vista Alegre); and in Gipuzkoa in Arrasate (Santa Teresa neighbourhood), San Sebastian (Altza), Eibar (Hijos de Gabilondo), Elgoibar (Sigma housing), Errenteria (Beraun), Leaburu (Txarama), Soraluze (Ezozia) and Irun.

At the European level, in addition to having shared experiences with many other «One-Stop-Shops» in France (Picardie-Pass and Île-de-France énergies), Ireland (Tipperary-SuperHomes), Italy (Sharing Cities – Milan) and Austria (RecoBooster – Vienna), it has also generated interest in other places to implement this model of urban regeneration. This is the case of two regions in Croatia (on the one hand, Medjimurje, and on the other, the counties of Varazdin, Koprivnica-Krizevci and Virovitica-Podravina), one in Poland (Mazovia), one in Greece (Thessaloniki), as well as Extremadura and Asturias, and an Irish entity implemented in three counties (Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford). All of them have visited the pilot neighbourhoods of Opengela with the idea of replicating the model.

Tomorrow, the delegate of the Basque Government in Brussels, Marta Marín, will speak, as well as the director of Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda, Ignacio de la Puerta, who heads the project consortium. In addition, Txari Vallejo (Bilbao Municipal Housing) and Ibon Irazola (Debegesa) will participate to explain the development of the two pilots.

There will also be time to listen to other cases of good practice, such as AGREE (a project also led by the Basque Government), ComAct and Renowatt. In the second part of the day, Julien Dijol and Sorcha Edwards (Housing Europe), Amélie Ancelle (Energy-Cities) and Martin Eibl (CINEA-European Commission) will speak.

From May 2019

The European Opengela project started in May 2019 and is an example of public-private collaboration. In addition to the Basque Government, there are other public entities in the consortium, such as the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), Bilbao Municipal Housing and Debegesa, as well as two European-level bodies (FEDARENE and Housing Europe) and firms specialising in financing (GNE Finance), communication (Gabineteseis) and European affairs (Zabala).

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The Basque Government will invest 101 million euros in urban, environmental, social and economic regeneration of 14 vulnerable neighborhoods in Euskadi

The Basque Government will invest 101 million euros in urban, environmental, social and economic regeneration of 14 vulnerable neighborhoods in Euskadi

  • They will have neighborhood offices, following the European Opengela model project.
  • The Territorial Planning Department will provide 93 million euros to expand the urban regeneration program for neighborhoods. After adding these new projects will reach a total of 21 municipalities. 
  • The Labor and Employment Department will allocate eight million euros to promote training and employment in these same neighborhoods.

The Basque Government will act in 14 vulnerable neighborhoods in the Basque Country to address their integral regeneration from an urban, environmental, social and economic perspective. The Basque Government’s Heads of Labor and Employment, the Vice President of the Basque Government, Idoia Mendia, and Territorial Planning, Iñaki Arriola, met today with the city councils where these neighborhoods are located in order to address the plans with which they will simultaneously promote the energy transition, the improvement of the habitability of buildings and housing, as well as the promotion of the labor insertion of its inhabitants. The aim of the interventions is that the advances in the fight against climate change and the new social challenges reach all people in the Basque Country, regardless of where they live and the resources they have. 

The new neighborhoods will have neighborhood offices, following the European Opengela model project, where people will be able to go for help and consult on housing reform actions in terms of accessibility, habitability or energy efficiency. In some of the neighborhoods, the project incorporates the rehabilitation of public buildings to generate facilities for the neighborhood. In Alava work will be done in the Zaramaga neighborhood in Vitoria, in Bizkaia in three neighborhoods in Bilbao (Párroco Unzeta, Torre Urizar and Uretamendi), in Bermeo (Iparragirre and Txibitxiaga) and in Sestao (Vista Alegre); and in Gipuzkoa in Arrasate (Santa Teresa neighborhood), San Sebastian (Altza), Eibar (Hijos de Gabilondo), Elgoibar (Sigma housing), Errenteria (Beraun), Leaburu (Txarama), Soraluze (Ezozia) and Irun. 

These actions are part of the Inter-institutional Strategic Investment Plan (PIIE) approved by the Regional Executive and the three Provincial Councils for the 2022-2024 time period. In this context, the integral urban regeneration of vulnerable neighborhoods is considered a priority, a plan on which the Basque Government has been working for more than six years and which, by adding these 14 neighborhoods in twelve localities, reaches a total of 21 municipalities. To address the actions in these localities, 101 million Euros will be allocated, eight by Labor and Employment and 93 by Territorial Planning.

Idoia Mendia, the Vice President of the Basque Government, highlighted the value of this «new program, different from others that we are promoting, but which has a common characteristic with all the others, the alignment between the different fields of government, in this case two departments of the Basque Government and the city councils«. She assured that it provides «new answers to new situations, in this case to the challenge of energy transition and urban transformation, which is also a social transformation«, in addition to offering opportunities for people with employment difficulties, for companies looking for suitable profiles, and for municipalities that want a friendly and sustainable environment for their neighbors.

The Labor and Employment Department, with an initial budget of eight million euros, will be responsible for the training, recruitment, guidance and accompaniment of 167 people available for employment and adapted to the new requirements of the construction sector. This experience will be open to job seekers in each municipality, but with priority to people receiving income guarantee rent or minimum vital income who reside within a radius of 50 kilometers of the municipalities participating in the project, and who are long-term unemployed. 

In particular, they will receive specific training for two months, during which they will continue to receive their guaranteed income entitlement as appropriate, and will then have a 10-month training contract in alternation, under the terms of the latest labor legislation. The alternating training contract will devote 35% of its duration to training and 65% to employment. The minimum remuneration to be received will be 75% of the total gross salary. In addition, during the whole process, they will have guidance, accompaniment, counseling and professional information for the search of employment.

The Territorial Planning Councilor, Iñaki Arriola, has indicated that «according to the characteristics of the projects presented, around 1.700 families will be able to receive subsidies of between 70% and 100% in the most vulnerable cases, with the objective that all of them will have an opportunity to face the decarbonization of their homes and improve their life quality, with more habitable homes and urban environments adapted to the new social and environmental challenges. These measures also combat inequality and promote greater social cohesion in our towns and cities«. 

Neighborhood by neighborhood

Arrasate will promote the regeneration of the Santa Teresa neighborhood by improving building envelopes, heating systems and accessibility, including elevators in both buildings and public spaces. In addition, photovoltaic panels will be installed, advancing in the constitution of shared self-consumption communities, and equipment will be implemented in the urban environment to promote electromobility. Territorial Planning will contribute 7.37 million euros to the project and it is estimated that 96 homes will benefit from the project. 

Bermeo will act on Iparragirre and Txibitxiaga group, where work will be done on buildings and homes to ease accessibility problems and promote energy rehabilitation. These works are expected to reach 90 dwellings. In addition, urban renewal will be addressed in the area of Kurtzio, Zarragoitxi, Itxasbegi and Iparragirre, an area declared as a degraded zone, where streets will be redeveloped, accessibility improvements will be made and a sustainable drainage system will be built, among other issues. Territorial Planning will provide 5.84 million euros to promote the project. 

Bilbao will act in Párroco Unzeta in Santutxu, in the Torre Urizar group, a complex with a marked cultural and historical character in the neighborhood of Irala, and in Uretamendi with the implementation of a proximity office. In total, Territorial Planning will invest 16.53 million euros in these three neighborhoods of the capital of Biscay. The forecast points to rehabilitations in 399 homes.

Eibar will convert the Hijos de Gabilondo factory-house into an equipment building. New green spaces, pedestrian areas and improved lighting will be created in the surrounding area. This is a commitment to enhance the value of the industrial heritage while at the same time promoting urban regeneration, with an investment of 4.98 million euros by Territorial Planning. 

Elgoibar will address improvements in the Sigma housing district, promoted in the 1960s by the company of the same name, for its workers. It will incorporate renewable energies, accessibility actions -with an elevator outside a house and another inside- and the construction of balconies, as well as boosting the environment by renewing the lighting and rehabilitating parks or creating traffic calming areas.  The Territorial Planning budget is 3.27 million euros and improvements are planned for 72 homes. 

Errenteria will promote urban regeneration and the improvement of energy efficiency of housing in Beraun, where the proximity office will be installed to accompany the communities in the rehabilitation processes. It will also address the improvement of accessibility and the creation of energy communities for self-consumption. In public spaces, progress will be made in terms of accessibility, sustainable mobility and safe areas for pedestrians. This pilot experience will have an investment of 3.25 million euros from Territorial Planning and is expected to reach 102 homes.  

Irún, as part of the Vía Irun urban and railway regeneration project, is going to remodel the old Customs building into the core of its innovative urban district. It is a group of old warehouses and a head building that will be a public facility and for which accessibility and energy rehabilitation -wind energy, renewable energies- need to be promoted. This project will receive 4.98 million euros from the Territorial Planning area.

Leaburu will activate the eco-sustainable rehabilitation of buildings and homes that may be deteriorated in the Txarama neighborhood, in order to improve the habitability of these communities. It will also carry out an urban intervention to calm traffic and a second one to restore the road network and recover the riversides and fluvial margins. With 1.5 million euros from Territorial Planning, the actions in the residential buildings are expected to benefit 78 families. 

San Sebastián will address the first phase of the urban transformation of the Altza neighborhood. It will improve the energy efficiency of the buildings by acting on the facades and incorporating photovoltaic panels -with a pilot project for an energy community-. These will be complemented by redevelopment, accessibility and green infrastructure interventions in which the squares will be renaturalized. A sustainable drainage system will also be incorporated and contaminated soils will be reclaimed. Territorial Planning will allocate 9.46 million euros to this project, which is expected to reach 124 homes. 

Sestao will act on the Vista Alegre neighborhood by improving the energy efficiency of its buildings -envelopes with more advanced insulation, renewable energy production- and its accessibility. It will also promote the urbanization of its surroundings, with improvements in lighting and parks, incorporating new pedestrian areas, creating sustainable drainage systems and energy facilities on a neighborhood scale. There are 4.39 million euros from the Territorial Planning area to reach 110 homes. 

Soraluze-Placencia de las Armas will work in the Ezozia neighborhood with the integral rehabilitation of buildings, actions for the placement of elevators, the recovery of a space of former industrial use covered to be used by the citizens next to the river (Sapa). The public space will also be improved by improving lighting and pedestrianizing streets. The Territorial Planning investment amounts to 5.84 million euros and it is planned to support improvements in 132 homes. 

Vitoria-Gasteiz will regenerate the Zaramaga neighborhood through energy efficient renovations of the building stock (façade envelopes, efficient heating systems, etc.), improved accessibility (elevators), increased green infrastructure and the first phase of the installation of a waste heat network. Bicycle pathways and pedestrian areas will be improved and electric vehicle charging points will be installed. It is also proposed to create an accommodation and day care center for the elderly and the opening of a care center and a coworking facility. In addition, actions will be carried out to promote the installation of photovoltaic panels on municipal roofs and pergolas in public spaces for partial transfer to housing. The project will receive 25.59 million euros from Territorial Planning, and requires the participation of the neighbors to be able to intervene in around 500 homes. 

Third phase for the extension of the integral urban regeneration plan for vulnerable neighborhoods in Euskadi

These 14 neighborhoods join those already working to make integral urban regeneration of vulnerable neighborhoods a reality in the Basque Country. The project began six years ago with the creation of pilot programs in Txonta (Eibar) and Otxarkoaga (Bilbao), where neighborhood offices, known as opengelas, were installed thanks to European funds. 

After the good reception of these first initiatives, other neighborhoods have joined: Aramotz in Durango, Basaundi-Bailara in Lasarte-Oria, and Andonaegi in Pasaia. In recent months, other neighborhoods have joined the plan, such as Peñucas (Abanto-Zierbena), La Florida (Portugalete), San Andrés (Valle de Trápaga), Aurora Vildosola (Santurtzi), Landata and Dolores Madaria (Orduña) and Goikolarra (Amurrio). 

Bandera de la Unión Europa

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 846707.

Otxar Opengela

Address: Avenida Pau Casals, No. 16, Otxarkoaga, Bilbao (In front of Plaza Kepa Enbeita)

Telephone: 946 85 19 32

E-mail: otxaropengela@vvmm.bilbao.eus

Txonta Opengela

Address: Calle Txonta No. 3, ground floor, Eibar

Telephone: 688 77 97 37

E-mail: txontabulegoa@eibar.eus

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The power of One-Stop-Shops, an Opengela final conference

The power of One-Stop-Shops, an Opengela final conference

Home renovation is a journey that many homeowners dread to take. Nevertheless, Europe’s energy crisis urges us to take action immediately. Opengela, like other One-Stop-Shop programmes, has proved to its population that renovation can be for anyone and everyone, thus contributing to the regeneration of the neighbourhoods of Otxarkoaga, Bilbao, and Txonta, in Eibar, inspiring more cities and regions to follow.

Like all good things, Opengela, as a project, has ended. It is time to draw conclusions and reflect on the results and what has been accomplished, and Opengela has a lot to show.

Whether a long-time fan or a neophyte, the Opengela team is eager to share its results with you on November 17th, 2022. See you in Brussels to discuss how to improve OSS and (re)discover other examples of Integrated Homes Renovation Services in Europe.

Draft Agenda

14:00 – 14:15
Welcoming by María Ángeles Elorza Zubiria, Basque Committee of the Regions member (TBC)

14:15 – 15:00
Final results of Opengela
Ignacio de la Puerta, Basque Government
Txari Vallejo, VVMM Bilbao
Ibon Irazola, Debegesa

15:00 – 15:45
Good practices of one-stop-shops across Europe

15:45 – 16:00
Coffee break

16:00 – 16:55
How to improve one-stop-shops in the EU?
Moderated by Julien Dijol, Policy Director at Housing Europe

16:55 – 17:00
Closing remarks

Registration

Registration for the Renovation Summit is open. Book your seat here.

Bandera de la Unión Europa

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 846707.

Otxar Opengela

Address: Avenida Pau Casals, No. 16, Otxarkoaga, Bilbao (In front of Plaza Kepa Enbeita)

Telephone: 946 85 19 32

E-mail: otxaropengela@vvmm.bilbao.eus

Txonta Opengela

Address: Calle Txonta No. 3, ground floor, Eibar

Telephone: 688 77 97 37

E-mail: txontabulegoa@eibar.eus

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OPENGELA

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