Launched in November 2023, the international project ComActivate aims to find effective mechanisms against energy poverty by supporting the renovation of multi-family residential buildings. The initiative, in which the Municipality of Burgas partners with municipalities from Hungary, Lithuania, and the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect, is funded by the European LIFE program and addresses the serious technical and financial difficulties faced by homeowners' associations.

An important step in the project's development is the new 3D platform, which calculates the energy savings that can be achieved after implementing efficiency measures. The tool is currently being pilot-tested in the "Vazrazhdane" complex. The municipal administration's plans include expanding its scope to other residential areas in Burgas in the coming months, as well as increasing the precision of the forecasts for each individual building. The digital solution builds upon an existing system for assessing rooftop spaces for photovoltaics, developed under another project involving Burgas and Sofia.

Project activities also include a study on how shared urban spaces are used. To date, the following results have been achieved:

  • An Energy Office has been opened in Burgas;
  • A series of specialized training sessions for condominium managers has been organized;
  • Innovative energy sufficiency plans at the neighborhood level have been developed.

As part of the efforts to tackle energy poverty, 15 strategic recommendations were presented in August of this year. They are aimed at overcoming the discrepancies between the European Union's climate goals and the specific needs of vulnerable households in the market.