Implementing its vision, which is based on a complete roundtable methodology elaborated during the proposal preparation, the first phases of the project, which are continually enriched and updated during the project lifetime, SMAFIN has already successfully organised the first cycle of national roundtables. The events were online or hybrid, respecting COVID 19 rules, organised in the four partners’ countries– Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania – in order to bring together EU policy makers, national and local authorities, financial, enterprise, construction and academic sector and facilitate thoroughly energy efficiency investments in renovation.
The SMAFIN events owe their success firstly to the extended research of the first phase. During the first project months, SMAFIN consortium has explored and interviewed dozens of key stakeholders to get a better grasp on the current state of affairs in the field of energy efficiency investment in each SMAFIN country. Detailed findings have constituted four technical reports: “Previous Initiatives analysis”, “Market analysis report”, “Best practices report” and “Selection of policy measures to be redesigned” and their key points have provided input for the Roundtables and the E-Platform structure.
Besides, the SMAFIN Working Groups - established at an early stage by the national partners - constantly support the Roundtables. Representatives from public bodies, banks, ESCOs, relative EU projects, real estate, construction companies and others, have joined the Working Groups, aiming to contribute to the preparation of the roundtables as well as drawing their results and following all development in policy and financial sector may occur between the events.
The third core activity of the project is the facilitating SMAFIN platform, operating since the first months of the project, updated almost daily with news, relative tools, initiatives and project results. Under its toolbox, one can find 10 reports, 11 guides, 12 tools, 10 reports, 10 presentations, 10 videos and other material useful for the stakeholders interested in smart financing in buildings’ renovation. The platform includes the e-forum, an area where stakeholders can virtually meet to exchange views and experience aiming to continue dialogue in parallel with SMAFIN events. Moreover, the platform contains a glossary, a table with financial terms translated in the partners’ national languages and factsheets with key results. Campaigns on project social media have been implemented before and after core project activities with outstanding ones the implementation of the roundtables engaging stakeholders all over Europe.
SMAFIN project has succeeded to network with sister HORIZON2020 projects, AUNA and RoundBALTIC, relative projects such as TRIPLE-A, STARTER, PROSPECT and others and relative initiatives as SEIF II as well as important key stakeholders so to advance cross - fertilisation and exchange of views.
SMAFIN consortium has already started working on recommendations for effective policy measures or financial frameworks at national and European level but this is an activity that will be enhanced in the next period.
