The overview of the activities and documents from the first four months of the ReHABITA project.
The main goal of the LIFE ReHABITA project is to alleviate energy poverty by encouraging the complete energy renovation of energy-inefficient homes of vulnerable households in the pilot sites of 5 participating countries. In particular, the pilot sites are Lorca (Spain), Saldus (Latvia), Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Ploiesti (Romania) and Gospić (Croatia).
The municipalities in the pilot sites are joined with technical partners in order to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to the fight against energy poverty at the local level through the reconstruction of energy-vulnerable households, informing local stakeholders and implementing measures to increase the effects of interventions.
The project started with the first day of September in 2023. From October 5 to October 6, the partners from the project gathered in Lorca, in Spain, for the kick-off meeting. Partners presented details and characteristics of their pilot sites and went through the activities of the project. Expectations, resources and experiences of technical partners were shared between partners and the next few steps in developing and implementing project activities were discussed.
Soon after the meeting, DOOR started working on two documents from the Work Package which will be important for various activities from different work packages throughout the project – a survey needed to assess the level of energy poverty in pilot sites and a handbook for developing activities to build the engagement of vulnerable citizens. Both documents are expected to be finished by the end of February.
In the meantime, Eurovertice developed Data Protection Manual which delineates the strategies and procedures for the responsible handling of sensitive data within the scope of projects such as renovating family homes and buildings.The primary objective of this DPM is to establish robust procedures for the ethical and efficient management of sensitive data. These protocols encompass not only data collection but also storage, access, sharing, and eventual disposal, emphasizing transparency and confidentiality throughout the project’s lifecycle. It serves as a guideline for project personnel, highlighting the importance of respecting individual privacy rights.
In terms of data collection, the LIFE ReHabita project will gather various types of data, including demographic information (such as names, ages, professions, education levels), financial details (income, energy bill expenses), and residential data (addresses). In accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (Directive 95/46/EC), the most sensitive types of data to be considered are those revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of identifying individuals, data concerning health, and data concerning a person’s sex life or sexual orientation. Therefore, LIFE ReHabita project will not utilize this type of data, as it is not deemed essential for the assessments to be conducted.
The project data will primarily be collected digitally through standardized contracts and consultations in the office, as well as through the Marketplace on the project’s webpage. Data will primarily be processed in XLSX, CSV, PDF, or Word DOCX formats to ensure compatibility with various software. To ensure anonymity, the data will be aggregated. The insights gained from the data will enable the provision of the best possible service for each individual case.
Read more about DPM here.
