Full title: Boosting Energy Transition and Transformation in Empowering Cities and Regions for Clean Heating and Cooling
Partners: Eurac Research (IT) - Coordinator, IEECP (NL), IREES (DE), REVOLVE (BE), Energy Cities (FR), TU Wien (AT), e-think (AT), Municipality of Gabrovo (BG), Codema (IE), ENERGAP (SI), EPU - NTUA (GR), Municipality of Almada (PT)
Start Date: 01/10/2026 Duration: 36 months
European Commission (CINEA) – LIFE Programme
Project summary:
BetterLIFE supports local and regional authorities in developing Local Heating and Cooling Plans that are financially sound, co-created with stakeholders and include gas network decommissioning plans. Through five pilots (Dublin, Maribor, Athens, Almada, Gabrovo), open-source tools, training and a community of practice, it delivers replicable roadmaps for the clean energy transition across Europe.
Brief Description:
Heating and cooling account for around half of the EU's total energy consumption, yet the sector's energy transition remains slow.
BetterLIFE supports local and regional authorities in generating Local Heating and Cooling Plans (LHCPs) that are financially sound, co-created with stakeholders and include Gas Network Decommissioning Plans (GNDPs). It focuses on the buildings sector (residential and tertiary: space heating, space cooling, domestic hot water) without neglecting industry.
Building on previous EU projects, the open-source BetterLIFE Financial Assessment Tool will be tailored to user needs, supporting key stakeholders in co-designing LHCPs, while previously developed tools (Hotmaps Toolbox, CoolLIFE tool) will be used in training for key target groups.
Five pilots across Northern, Central, Southern, Western and Eastern Europe test the approach: district heating enlargement in Dublin (Ireland), a gas network decommissioning plan in Maribor (Slovenia), district cooling development in Athens (Greece, Kypseli district), alternative space cooling and energy poverty in Almada (Portugal), and sustainable/renewable-energy-powered heating in Gabrovo (Bulgaria).
A community of practice will ensure continuous assistance to pilots by providing consultancy to on-site Task Forces and, after the project ends, will support replicators in adopting and upscaling the project's key outcomes.
Website: https://betterlife-project.eu//