Over the past decade, Europe has weathered several crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the energy crisis, to name but two) that highlighted the centrality of the buildings in which people reside, work and enjoy leisure activities. To meet overarching sustainability and just transition goals, it is imperative that the European community has access to affordable energy as well as quality energy efficient housing. While the Renovation Wave has faced hurdles in gaining momentum, there is a growing acknowledgment, both locally and at the EU level, of a pivotal catalyst that could ignite its progress: the supply and demand-side fragmentation of renovation markets can be effectively tackled by setting up subnational hubs that serve to:

1. Raise awareness in relation to the benefits of energy renovations
2. Provide homeowners with impartial advice on renovation options and their financing
3. Connect interested “customers” with solution providers and
4. Coordinate training, certification and/or quality control services to bolster the Renovation Wave readiness of local actors in the renovation market value chain.

With the support of partners of the EU-funded Save the Homes project, ICLEI has co-created an overview of key steps local governments should consider when exploring the establishment and operation of One-Stop-Shops (OSS). In broad strokes, OSS setup requires political support at various levels of governance, a robust understanding of the local building stock and the engagement of a broad ecosystem of stakeholders. Furthermore, an effective business model (usually involving stable and long-term financial support) must be established, OSS should be embedded in local strategies and plans, and OSS must be adapted to local legal frameworks. Lastly, OSS establishment needs to be guided by a well-defined customer journey, a concrete catalogue of services to be provided and an overarching communications strategy. An infographic describing this journey is available here.

While the Save the Homes project is coming to an end, the outputs partners generated will undoubtedly continue to provide value for local governments that are keen to decarbonise and create a more resilient and sustainable housing stock. Going beyond the general outline of the infographic, ICLEI and its project partners invite interested local governments to take a deeper dive into the nuances of setting up OSS, by referring to key resources produced within the project. An overview of all Save the Homes resources related to different phases of the implementation of an OSS is available here, as well as on the Save The Homes Knowledge Hub.