Save Energy Together events & activities

On 14 April 2026, students in Kempten, Germany took part in an interactive workshop on “Saving Energy in Everyday Life,” delivered by eza! as part of SaveEnergyTogether. Through hands-on exercises and group discussions, the pupils explored what daily actions impact most on reducing energy use and CO₂ emissions.

Using practical examples, participants compared activities such as shorter showers, reduced online streaming, and buying refurbished devices. The comparisons sparked lively debates and a surprising insight for youngsters: while cutting shower time can save around 240 kg CO₂e per year, reduced streaming has a much smaller effect.

The workshop also introduced the idea of a “CO₂ handprint,” encouraging students to influence others and scale impact—for example through clothing exchange initiatives. By combining practical knowledge with peer learning, the session strengthened climate awareness and empowered young people to act—highlighting the value of early engagement for long-term behavioural change.

The municipality of Böblingen promoted cleaner, more efficient wood heating through its “Stove Driving Licence” campaign, delivered by eza! with support from SaveEnergyTogether. Since January 2026, 200 residents accessed a free 90-minute online course, learning practical techniques—such as top-down ignition—to reduce emissions and improve efficiency. As one participant noted:

“I have been using a wood-burning stove for many years and thought I knew how to do it properly. However, the stove licence course proved me wrong… The course gave me several real eye-openers on how I can run my stove more efficiently and with minimal environmental impact… I highly recommend it – in fact, every stove owner should do this.”

The initiative demonstrates how targeted training can deliver measurable environmental and cost benefits while supporting local climate goals. Read about similar offers by eza! (in German)!

Residents of Vilnius are invited to join the Community Action Day in the Salotė / Pilaitė area on Sunday, 26 April 2026. The event, organised under the SaveEnergyTogether initiative with DAROM, combines a community clean-up with interactive workshops on sustainable living and energy-saving. Vilnius residents will come together near Salotė beach and surrounding public areas, to clean up and learn how everyday actions can support a greener city and smarter energy use. The activity supports Vilnius – European Green Capital 2025 and the city’s climate neutrality goals under the EU Cities Mission.

Big, simple, attractive: how energy efficiency contributes to a clean, secure and competitive Union

On the 10 June 2026, meet us in Brussels at the session co-organised with great colleagues around the EU. This session will provide key figures and practical examples, to support an informed discussion with policymakers about the post-2030 energy efficiency framework.
Have look and register today!

At the Donauwörth Open House Day on 12 April 2026, refurbishment ambassadors opened their newly modernised homes and shared first-hand experiences with visitors from across the district. The event created an open, practical exchange on successful renovation, from efficient heating and insulation to solar power, and showed how modern heat pumps can be quiet and suitable even for utility rooms. Despite the weather, 56 people joined the tour and many visited several houses, turning the day into a lively dialogue on equal footing. The municipality and eza! supported the event with planning, facilitation and practical tips, helping to make it a useful model for future neighbourhood events.  Learn more by clicking here!
Building on this momentum, eza! also hosted a practical training for municipal facility managers on 23 April 2026, focusing on the efficient operation and maintenance of public buildings and supporting local authorities in advancing energy performance. Learn more

The Slovenian Consumers’ Association (ZPS) and the City of Ljubljana organised the conference on Wednesday, 11. 3. 2026. The conference offered exchange of concrete experiences of Slovenian municipalities implementing energy efficiency measures and motivating citizens to reduce energy use in households. It connected municipalities, consumers, experts, energy agencies and NGOs to create practical, accessible and behavioral solutions that help citizens reduce energy costs while contributing to the achievement of local and national climate goals. The conference offered a space for the transfer of proven solutions and approaches that have already proven to be effective in practice.

This practical PV workshop helps citizens maximize the self-consumption of their solar power systems, reducing electricity costs and improving energy independence. Participants receive expert advice on topics such as upgrading older installations, adding battery storage, combining PV with heat pumps, or integrating balcony solar systems, while also benefiting from peer exchange and tailored answers to their questions. Organized in collaboration with energy experts, the event provides municipalities with an effective format to engage residents and promote local renewable energy use.

For municipalities and public institutions committed to promoting energy awareness among younger generations, the “Energy in Everyday Life” workshop held at BFZ Kempten on 15 October 2025 offers an inspiring example. The workshop was particularly well received by students because it focused on daily habits rather than theory—linking energy use to familiar situations such as cooking, charging smartphones, or riding e-bikes. Through interactive activities and simple consumption comparisons, students explored how small actions can significantly influence energy costs and sustainability. The accessible, hands-on approach, using relatable examples like the energy of a chocolate bar or a kettle’s power use, made the topic engaging for everyone, regardless of prior knowledge. This combination of practical relevance, active participation, and clarity shows how local administrations can effectively raise awareness and motivate behavioural change. The workshop’s format is highly adaptable and can be implemented in schools, youth centres, or community events across Europe to strengthen local energy and climate education.  More related campaign activities are available in Germany through eza!, the Allgäu Energy Agency:

This environmental campaign raises awareness about how to heat with wood correctly in order to reduce air pollution and use resources efficiently. Households receive clear, practical guidance on proper lighting and burning techniques, why they matter, and the consequences of incorrect use, through engaging and easy-to-follow formats. The initiative also highlights benefits such as improved air quality and cost savings, while providing municipalities with communication materials and support from the Energy Agency Tirol. As a result, municipalities are provided with support not only for the activity itself, but also for press work and communication. Read a recent press article on this action here.

Through interactive school workshops, offered by the Energy Agency Tyrol in Austria, pupils and students become “energy-saving professionals,” learning from an early age how to use energy and resources responsibly. The “Energy Savers” offer introduces primary school children to topics such as energy and resource conservation. Depending on the grade, classes either participate in a workshop led by the Energy Agency or take part in a school-organized excursion to a relevant facility. Teachers also implement small classroom projects (with guidance provided by the Energy Agency), complemented by hands-on experiments. Information sessions are offered for both teachers and parents.  Topics include: Grade 1: Water, Grade 2: Sun, Grade 3: Electricity, Grade 4: Energy and Resources.  The programme offers training and introduction for teaching staff,  workshops delivered by the Energy Agency, classroom implementation guide, teaching materials and information. Browse photos of the implemented activity in Lans, Austria here.

Local actors want to address energy poverty – but they often need more support, tools, and practical guidance. At the same time, expectations from EU and national levels are rising: municipalities are being asked to integrate energy poverty into their climate and energy agendas. A SaveEnergyTogether event offered short inputs with various capacity-building opportunities: Austrian national training programme for social workers | Insights into regional cooperation with municipalities | Training programme to boost the capacities of municipalities.

On 26 February 2026, SaveEnergyTogether took part in the Climate Alliance National Conference in Germany in Berlin. Jan Schwarz co-led a workshop on “Social justice in the private building stock: municipal opportunities despite tight budgets” with Dr. Kristina Eisfeld on behalf of the European Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH).
During the workshop, municipalities and stakeholders gathered around three themed tables, including one on energy-saving measures and communication campaigns—the focus of SaveEnergyTogether. Led by Zoe Hoffmann from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Borough Office in Berlin, participants crafted a shared message:

Let’s be bold!—bold as municipalities reaching out to households to prevent energy poverty, bold in promoting socially just climate action, and bold as citizens in opening our doors to support.

The discussions explored practical pathways for climate-friendly housing, from behavioral change and small efficiency upgrades to solar PV solutions and large-scale retrofits transforming commercial buildings into multigenerational homes.
Download the Lessons Learned (in German) here

ADENE’s campaign in Braga shows how schools, local partners, and trusted community spaces can effectively engage vulnerable households on energy saving. By working with social services, neighbourhood associations, and schools, they reached families that are usually hard to involve and turned children into powerful ambassadors for change. Practical support through local sessions and a new One-Stop Shop helps residents understand bills, access incentives, and adopt concrete home energy-saving measures. In the Municipality of Braga, with Braga City Council, ADENE is successfuly carrying out awareness-raising and information actions that aim to encourage the adoption of cost-effective energy-saving measures and promote the involvement of key local stakeholders. Beyonf the municipality, ADENE involved various local and regional actors such as BragaHabit, InvestBraga, the Intermunicipal Community of Cávado or the Porto Energy Agency.

On 26 February | At 11:30 CET | Online
The webinar explored how energy poverty is being addressed at EU and national levels. Isabel Pereira (ADENE) showed the data available in the ODYSSEE and MURE databases about indicators and policy measures relevant to energy poverty. João Pedro Gouveia (NOVA School of Science and Technology) provided an overview of the EU policy framework and the role of the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) in supporting local authorities through data tools, capacity building and policy guidance. Madalena Santos (ADENE) outlined Portugal’s approach to energy poverty, including its long-term plan, action measures and evaluation mechanisms. João Alpalhão presented SaveEnergyTogether and its Braga pilot, showcasing how simple, targeted energy efficiency interventions, from school literacy sessions to door-to-door outreach in vulnerable households, can make a real difference in the lives of energy-poor citizens. The presentation inlcuded our online hub as a resource and good practices repository, alongside factsheets and inspiring communication approaches from our project partners. Download the presentation here.

The European Energy Efficiency Conference 2026 highlighted that advanced technologies in automation, AI, and battery systems had already made significant contributions to Europe’s energy transition. At the same time, the activation of citizens to apply proven energy-saving measures remained a key challenge for achieving tangible results at the local level. The SaveEnergyTogether initiative addressed this gap by supporting municipalities and communities in promoting and implementing simple, effective energy-saving actions. Its poster presentation, delivered by Kęstutis Kupšys, drew particular attention for showcasing practical tools, local success stories, and innovative collaboration models that help translate policy goals into measurable energy efficiency gains.

“Events like these bring expert knowledge directly to the people and inspire them to take action themselves. Energy saving often starts right in your own attic.” – Peter Ahne, Vice-mayor, Mindelheim (DE)

This practical workshop teaches homeowners and local residents how to cut heating costs with simple, eco-friendly insulation measures. Participants learn step-by-step how to insulate attic ceilings using wood fiber boards, understand key concepts like moisture protection and thermal bridges, and get expert guidance on materials, installation, and funding options. The event also encourages experience-sharing, empowering communities to take practical action on energy efficiency.

The Austrian Energy Agency presented the SaveEnergyTogether achievements at the 2025 BEHAVE Conference in der Session Ecological transition at the local level. In this session, Altan Sahin presented the project’s overall approach, including pilot activities and communication campaigns aimed at supporting local energy transitions. The agency also took part in a panel discussion on engaging vulnerable consumers through trust-based approaches to address energy poverty, emphasizing the importance of trusted intermediaries and targeted communication measures as first steps toward building awareness, confidence, and future renovation actions.

Slovenia’s summer energy-saving campaign confirmed something essential for anyone working with citizens: people want easy tools they can actually use.
Zveza potrošnikov Slovenije | Slovene Consumers’​ Association reached thousands of residents through festivals, fairs, school sessions, and digital platforms — and the clearest lesson was that practical, trusted, user-focused content wins people over. The monthly electricity and gas price overview remains one of the most visited pages on the ZPS website, now paired with a popular new electricity cost calculator. This App is now also offering energy saving tipps together with the comparison of the best energy tariffs.

For municipalities and energy agencies, the lesson that stood out above everything else was simple: people want tools. They want clarity. They want something they can actually use. Blend personal interaction with smart digital tools. Face-to-face conversations build trust, while online calculators, price tables, and guides turn that trust into action. Citizens want clarity, empowerment, and concrete steps they can apply today.

In the past few months, ZPS has actively engaged with communities across Slovenia. At the Annual Conference for School Coordinators and Mentors, around 400 teachers took part in discussions on efficient energy use. The ZPS team distributed educational fans and information sheets filled with practical tips on heating and cooling.  Teachers warmly welcomed the materials, which were later shared as digital PDFs so they could easily spread this knowledge to their students.  Learn more .

Some weeks later, in the vibrant center of Ljubljana, Festival Lupa brought together civic organizations and visitors for a day of lively exchanges. With ZPS stand drew many interested visitors, including the Mayor of Ljubljana, who appreciated the hands-on advice and friendly conversations. See event details
Held under the honorary patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Robert Golob, the 3fŽO Festival welcomed more than 17,000 visitors this year — the largest event for seniors in Europe. Visitors enjoyed informative chats, practical tips, and our signature fans and info sheets, reminding us that connecting across generations is key to building a more sustainable future.  More about the festival

During the hot summer days, many people can no longer imagine life without air conditioning even though continuous use of air conditioning significantly increases contribution to climate change. The Slovenian Consumer Association developed a press release with some simple suggestions for those with air conditioning and those without.

In so-called Thermal insulation made easy workshop, citizens implement hands-on measures directly under the guidance of an expert – the building owner benefits immediately and everyone gains valuable insights on how to reduce energy consumption and costs. Take a look at the examples from Rettenberg (local newspaper February | March 2025)

Energy teams can be established in every municipality. They consist of interested and engaged citizens, local NGOs, and representatives of the municipality. The „Energy team meeting“ takes place roughly every second month and discusses current actions and calls for the community. They suggest motivating and supporting actions to the municipality, like, free energy advice, small scale local subsidies for solar panel installations etc.