INOVA+ is part of Plan4COLD, a European project that supports municipalities in southern Europe in creating Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plans—essential instruments to meet climate targets and the requirements of Article 25 of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).

The project focuses on solutions adapted to the specific energy needs of southern Europe, where demand for cooling is especially high. The initiative has a total budget of €1.7M and is co-funded by the LIFE Programme, and brings together 15 partners from Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Croatia.

Portuguese municipalities at the forefront

In Portugal, nine municipalities are already working on defining and implementing their local plans: Vila Real, Guimarães, Évora, Loulé, Funchal, Câmara de Lobos, Sesimbra, Setúbal, and Palmela.

Plan4COLD is supporting these cities through:

  • Definition and implementation of Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plans appropriate to each local context.
  • Training of municipal technicians, with webinars and workshops to build the capacity of local teams.
  • Digital tools and technical resources to plan and monitor energy systems.

The objective is to prepare municipalities to face current and future energy challenges, promoting more efficient, resilient, and sustainable systems.

Objectives and actions of Plan4COLD

The project operates in three target countries—Portugal, Italy, and Greece—and foresees the creation of at least ten plans. The main actions, to be implemented by September 2027, include:

  • Develop a reference methodology for creating the plans.
  • Build capacity among municipal technicians and decision-makers, with in-person and online training events.
  • Directly support the participating municipalities, ensuring compliance with national and European policies, such as PNEC 2030 and the Climate Framework Law.
  • Create Local Communities of Practice (LCoP) for knowledge sharing among local and regional stakeholders.
  • Produce replicable resources, such as tutorials, practical guides, and examples of good practices.
  • Disseminate results so that other European cities can apply the solutions developed.

The role of INOVA+

The role of INOVA+INOVA+ played a decisive role in the project application and now performs strategic functions in its execution.

In addition to developing support tools and training materials, the company leads the monitoring of progress and impact, in close collaboration with ADENE. With this participation, it ensures that local plans do not remain only on paper but translate into concrete actions with real impact on communities.

Plan4COLD resources open to new municipalities

INOVA+ and ADENE invite other cities and regions to follow the Plan4COLD project, keeping up to date with the methodologies, tools, and good practices that are being developed and the training actions that will take place as early as 2026.

Participating in this initiative means accelerating the energy transition, preparing territories for a more sustainable future, and meeting the requirements of Article 25 of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), which obliges municipalities with more than 45,000 inhabitants to develop Sustainable Local Heating and Cooling Plans.

Interested municipalities can contact INOVA+.