Understanding the Barriers to Energy-Efficient Renovation of Heritage Buildings

Improving the energy performance of cultural heritage buildings is essential for Europe’s climate goals, yet renovation remains particularly challenging. Strict protection rules, high costs, limited funding options, and low stakeholder awareness often prevent effective action.

To address this, the HERIT4AGES project has published Deliverable D2.1 – Study of Multi-Level Barriers, which analyses the technical, regulatory, economic, and social obstacles that affect heritage renovation. The study combines desk research with insights from 54 experts and reviews relevant EU and national policy frameworks, with a focus on Estonia, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

The deliverable was prepared by Iuliia Kozlova, Angelo Massafra, Angela Santangelo, and Elisa Conticelli (University of Bologna). The findings show that barriers are interconnected and systemic. Successful renovation, therefore, requires more than technical solutions alone - it also depends on coordinated policies, stakeholder engagement, and behavioural change.

The study provides a substantial knowledge base for designing HERIT4AGES solutions and supporting informed decision-making by practitioners, authorities, and communities involved in heritage renovation.