BetterLIFE

About the project

Heating and cooling (H&C) account for around half of the European Union’s total energy consumption. However, the sector’s transition to renewable energy has been relatively slow, with renewables covering only 26.2% of 2023’s energy consumption in the H&C sector. Article 25(6) of the recast Energy Efficiency Directive 2023 requires municipalities with more than 45,000 inhabitants to develop Local Heating and Cooling Plans . These plans must assess local energy demand and supply, integrate renewable and waste heat, and include investment plans ensuring decarbonisation is tailored to each city. However, most Member States still lack the necessary legal, technical and financial support to enable local and regional authorities to design and implement LHCPs.  In addition, multiple regulatory frameworks including the Gas Regulation and REPowerEU support the reduction of reliance on gas but there is no clear directive. Few existing LHCPs include Gas Network Decommissioning Plans to support the phase out of fossil gas.

BetterLIFE helps local and regional authorities overcome challenges to implementing Local Heating and Cooling Plans. Working together with residents, businesses and local industry, the project ensures plans are practical, financially sound and incorporate Gas Network Decommissioning Plans to support the phase out of fossil gas. Through five pilot projects in different climate and socio-economic conditions, BetterLIFE will deliver clear, replicable roadmaps to help boost clean energy transition across Europe. 

Codema's role in the project

Codema leads the Dublin Pilot, bridging technical spatial planning and municipal execution across Dublin’s four local authorities. We are responsible for translating local heating and cooling strategies into de-risked district heating investments.