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Across Europe, a key transformation has been taking place. As households struggle with inefficient homes, rising energy bills and complex renovation systems, citizens are beginning to organise, not as isolated individuals, but as communities. This is the heart of the citizen-led renovation (CLR) movement, where neighbours and communities support each other to improve their homes and energy systems collectively.
It is in this context that the OSR-Coop Project was created. From October 2022 to October 2025, three cooperatives, EcoVision in Ireland, Energent in Belgium and Les 7 Vents in France, set out to test whether cooperative one-stop shops (OSSs) could make renovation easier, more trustworthy and more community-driven. Funded by the EU’s LIFE Programme and supported by project partners SNAP and REScoop.eu, we built our work on a shared learning journey, analysing and rebuilding our services together through hot-seat sessions, workshops, and study visits. What emerged from this process was a clear demonstration of what communities can achieve when they take the lead.
From Learning to Impact: Renovations That Made a Difference
Throughout the project, all three pilots directly supported 85 households, of which 82 signed renovation contracts and 54 completed works, triggering more than €4.7 million in local investments. Behind these numbers are real families whose homes became warmer, healthier and more energy efficient. This is down to models that prioritised independence, technical expertise and community values.
EcoVision and its counterparts showed that renovation services could be both technically robust and socially inclusive. And among them, EcoVision’s journey stands out as a story of transformation.
EcoVision: A Cooperative Reinventing Itself
Formerly known as ECTC, EcoVision used the OSR-Coop Project to redefine who we are and how we serve our communities. Through new workflow systems, a digitised customer intake process and strengthened relationships with local credit unions, we professionalised our renovation service while deepening our roots in the community. Even our rebranding, documented in the project’s final report, reflected this shift, signalling clarity and confidence in our renewed identity.
And this transformation had impact: EcoVision completed 36 renovation projects, the highest number of all three pilots. Our experience showed how an energy cooperative can evolve into a trusted renovation partner without losing the community focus at its core.
Les 7 Vents and Energent: Local Realities, Shared Purpose
In France, Les 7 Vents navigated a rapidly changing policy environment shaped by new national advisory frameworks. Despite challenges such as administrative delays and reliance on short-term public funding, the cooperative completed eight renovations and strengthened partnerships with regional actors. Their experience highlighted just how adaptable and resilient cooperative OSSs must be when national conditions shift.
Meanwhile in Belgium, Energent advanced its Renovatiekompas coordinated renovation model, aligning it with Flemish climate ambitions and municipal initiatives. The cooperative completed ten renovations, refining its service design and laying the foundations for broader regional collaboration.
Though each cooperative faced different realities, all three proved that community-rooted renovation models can thrive under diverse conditions.
A Legacy That Reaches Beyond the Pilots
One of the OSR-Coop Project’s most meaningful achievements is the framework it leaves behind for others to follow. The partners developed the OSR-Coop Replication Toolkit, which includes:
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an e-learning course on delivering cooperative renovation services,
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a Guidance Manual synthesising lessons from the pilots, and
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a Mentoring Programme supporting mentees in Sweden, Portugal and Ireland.
Beyond tools, the project helped strengthen the wider CLR ecosystem through public events, workshops, study visits and policy dialogues. It contributed to ongoing conversations on energy efficiency and citizen-led transitions, helping position renovation not only as a technical challenge but as a social one grounded in trust and community benefit.
Looking Forward: Renovation as a Collective Path
The story of OSR-Coop is ultimately a story about people, about households seeking healthier homes, communities searching for clarity in a fragmented renovation market, and cooperatives stepping up to bridge the gap. By acting as a single point of contact from start to finish, cooperative OSS models remove barriers for citizens, especially those with limited knowledge in this area.
As Europe continues to advance its climate and energy objectives, the OSR-Coop experience reminds us that fair and lasting transformation begins locally. When citizens take the lead, renovations become more accessible, investments stay within the community, and the energy transition grows stronger roots.
The pilots of EcoVision, Les 7 Vents and Energent have shown what is possible. Our work will continue to help many others across Europe follow the same path of citizen-led renovation.
