BetterLIFE, a new project co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, has begun work to help local and regional authorities develop and implement local heating and cooling plans (LHCPs). Its partners met in Maribor, Slovenia, on 15–16 October 2026 for the project’s kick-off meeting.
The project will run five pilots in Ireland, Greece, Bulgaria, Portugal and Slovenia. Each plan will include a strategy for phasing out fossil gas. Lessons from the pilots will be turned into roadmaps that other European municipalities can follow.
Legal duty to draw up heating and cooling plans
Heating and cooling account for around half of the EU’s energy consumption. However, renewables covered only 26.2% of the sector’s needs in 2023, according to the project.
Under Article 25(6) of the recast Energy Efficiency Directive, municipalities with more than 45,000 inhabitants must now develop LHCPs. The project partners said most Member States still lack the legal, technical and financial support to help municipalities meet this requirement. They added that few existing plans address the phase-out of fossil gas.
Gas network decommissioning built into plans
“The key mission of BetterLIFE is to provide five financially sound and co-created LHCPs, which are Gas Network Decommissioning Plans (GNDPs) inclusive, initiate their realisation and boost their replication throughout Europe,” said Simon Pezzutto, Team Leader at Eurac Research and Coordinator of BetterLIFE.
The project said it works with residents, businesses and local industry to make sure plans are:
- Financially sound: realistic to fund and implement, supported by the BetterLIFE Financial Assessment Tool.
- Co-created: developed with public, private and civil society actors.
- Future-proof: including Gas Network Decommissioning Plans (GNDPs) to support the phase-out of fossil gas.
Five pilot cities across Europe
The partners chose the pilots to reflect different climates, socio-economic contexts and sizes. Each city will focus on a different part of the heating and cooling challenge:
- Dublin (Ireland): four local authorities, led by Codema, will refine existing plans and focus on expanding district heating.
- Athens (Greece): led by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), work in the Kypseli district will focus on district and urban cooling, green infrastructure and resilience to urban heat islands.
- Gabrovo (Bulgaria): the Municipality of Gabrovo will lead work on replacing fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives, including renewable energy sources.
- Almada (Portugal): the Municipality of Almada will co-develop a plan focused on sustainable space cooling and reducing energy poverty.
- Maribor (Slovenia): the municipality will develop and launch its LHCP. Its plan will place a strong emphasis on a Gas Network Decommissioning Plan to allow gas infrastructure to be retired in phases.
Kick-off meeting and district heating visit in Maribor
During the kick-off meeting, the project team held a workshop with regional stakeholders to co-design the Maribor case study.
On the second day, partners visited Energetika Maribor, which runs the district heating system in the municipality of Maribor. The company produces and distributes district heating, and its system is the city’s sole organised approach to heating, according to the project.
Frequently asked questions
What is the BetterLIFE project?
BetterLIFE is a project co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme. It helps local and regional authorities develop and implement Local Heating and Cooling Plans (LHCPs) that are financially sound, co-created and include Gas Network Decommissioning Plans.
Which cities are taking part in BetterLIFE?
The five pilot cities are Dublin in Ireland, Athens in Greece, Gabrovo in Bulgaria, Almada in Portugal and Maribor in Slovenia.
Which municipalities must develop Local Heating and Cooling Plans?
Under Article 25(6) of the recast Energy Efficiency Directive, municipalities with more than 45,000 inhabitants must develop Local Heating and Cooling Plans.
What is a Gas Network Decommissioning Plan?
A Gas Network Decommissioning Plan (GNDP) supports the phase-out of fossil gas. In Maribor, for example, it is intended to allow gas infrastructure to be retired in phases.
Who coordinates BetterLIFE?
The project is coordinated by Simon Pezzutto, Team Leader at Eurac Research.
