Improving energy efficiency for vulnerable families in Portugal, Spain and Brazil
In this project, EDP offers efficiency and energy saving solutions to low-income families and individuals. For this, partnerships are established with Social Institutions that are close to this target audience to act as intermediaries. In order to implement the planned solutions, energy diagnosis are conducted in each house which allow for the identification of the solutions that are most suitable for each situation. Social institutions acquire and contract the products and services corresponding to the identified solutions and EDP finances this investment.
The biggest “slice” of global energy consumption is in energy waste and this initiative tackles the problem from there. Furthermore, it is in the residential sector where there is greater potential to reduce this energy waste. The transition to renewable energies is an important strategy in climate action, but so are initiatives that reduce energy waste as they reduce global energy consumption.
In Spain, within the framework of the Solidarity Energy Program, since 2015, the EDP Foundation has promoted projects related to improving energy efficiency in the homes of vulnerable families and in the premises of NGOs, in the areas where it has traditionally been carrying out its activity, that is, Asturias and the Basque Country. To this end, it has been managing various alliances with entities such as Cáritas and the Red Cross, as those in charge of selecting the recipients of the corresponding actions.
In Portugal, all interaction with EDPC and the beneficiary will be mediated by the partner IPSS. The IPSS will also fill in the online questionnaire, with the information provided by the beneficiary. EDP had the support of CENSE – laboratory of the faculty of science and technology, for the development of the online questionnaire and for the construction of a predefined list of solutions to propose in each situation. The project will take place between November 22 in 2022, and July 23 in 2023 and it is intended to support between 30 and 50 families. There are three possible budgets to allocate to each family: 3,000 for tenants with leases between 3 and 7 years, 7,000 for tenants with leases of more than 7 years, €10,000 for landlords. The pilot will start with 8 partner IPSSs.
In Brazil, EDP supports a similar project in partnership with the Moradigna organization that aims to rehabilitate homes in socially vulnerable communities, reinforcing the focus on electrical installation, in alignment with EDP's strategy of access and security with the network electrical. Unhealthy spaces without adequate conditions now have a decent housing structure. In 2022, the pilot project for the rehabilitation of 35 homes in the Bambi Residencial Neighborhood, located in Guarulhos – São Paulo, began. In 2023, this partnership will continue, with the definition of new residences to be rehabilitated in the Jabaeté neighborhood, in Vila Velha, ES.
