On 5 December, EBC took part in the conference “Delivering Affordable ‘Lighthouse District’ in Europe” organized by Housing Europe and co-hosted by the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee EESC. This event marks the start of Phase II of the European partnership Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI), encompassing the project SHAPE II funded under the Single Market Partnership of the European Union from 2024 to 2026.
The launch conference was divided into two sessions with high-level speakers. The first session was about reconciling energy and housing challenges, featuring Oliver Röpke, EESC President; Amaryllis Verhoeven, Acting Director for Tourism, Textiles, Digital Transformation of Industry and Social Economy, at DG GROW; Marcos Ros Sempere, MEP (S&D, Spain); and Bent Madsen, Housing Europe President.
The second session consisted of a panel discussionwith local housing, cities, and SME experts who invest energy, knowledge, and time to work towards an ambitious and social Renovation Wave. EBC Secretary General, Fernando Sigchos Jimenez, presented the point of view of small construction companies, next to Carolina Garcia Madruga, Researcher at TECNALIA; Sven Buch, leader of the inclusive regeneration project in Aalborg East; Geert de Pauw, Coordinator at Community Land Trust Brussels; Alison Gilliland, Former Lord Mayor of Dublin, and Björn Berggren, Energy Expert at Public Housing Sweden.
At this occasion, the SHAPE II partners Housing Europe, EBC, ECTP, EnergyCities, GNE Finance and SINTEF were proud to launch the Call for applications: for selection of lighthouse districts for sustainable and affordable housing. This call aims at engaging professionals active in sustainable #construction and #renovation projects in affordable #housing in a learning program to support their work. It offers a chance to enhance skills, develop integrated approaches, and tackle challenges often faced with social and affordable housing projects thanks to the support provided by Affordable Housing Initiative.
| All you need to know about the SHAPE II Call for applications for lighthouse districts for sustainable and affordable housing The AHI’s learning program is designed to upskill professionals from cities, housing providers and companies who are planning or already carrying out sustainable construction or renovation projects in affordable housing. The goal? To help these professionals develop integrated approaches that have better results in terms of delivering quality housing and prevent a lot of the problems social and affordable housing has suffered from in the past. Key Benefits for professionals: Customised Support: Your learning journey will be tailored to your specific needs. Based on your input, the program will be crafted to address your challenges and goals. Expert Guidance: A select group of experts with a proven track record of leading successful, innovative housing projects will guide you through the process. Diverse Learning Resources: Peer-to-peer mentorship Study visits Workshops Online classes and webinars on financial strategies Pitching sessions to refine your project presentations How to Apply By completing the following application form: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EuropeanAffordableHousingConsortium Applications will undergo a rigorous selection process led by a jury, ensuring that the programme fits the needs of the chosen participants. Programme Details A total of 35 participants will be selected. The first cut-off will select 15 participants. Application Window: 5 December 2024 – 28 February 2025 Programme Start Date: March 2025 Cost: Free of charge Future Opportunities Additional application periods will be announced as the programme runs through March 2026. |
 | EBC looks forward to the following steps in this ambitious initiative which aims at shedding light on practical initiatives and good practices on affordable and sustainable housing. |
 | The Affordable Housing Initiative European Partnership, SHAPE II is receiving funding from the European Union’s Single Market Programme under Grant Agreement no. 101191186. |