Success through effective communication

We've all been there: after a long planning process, a carefully developed climate action measure is finally launched. But when the results don’t meet the expectations, the troubleshooting begins. Why? What can be done better? With its special funding programme for the energy-efficient renovation of private buildings, the City of Aachen has demonstrated the importance of effective communication channels for the success of municipal climate action.

Aachen’s idea to launch a special renovation funding programme arose from the need to make the private building stock climate-friendly – a major challenge for all local authorities. Aachen saw this challenge as an opportunity, as the city has set itself ambitious targets for climate neutrality by 2030. In 2021 as part of the city's comprehensive climate action strategy, Aachen launched its special funding programme to motivate private homeowners with attractive offers for energy-efficient renovation. With the programme, the city hoped to promote the renovation of mechanical systems as well as of the building envelope, including the replacement of windows and insulation of external walls and roofs, thus closing profitability gaps for private investors. The preliminary results one year after the programme’s launch showed, however, that the number of applications fell short of expectations and that citizens were thus not taking full advantage of the funding scheme.  

“After one year of the funding programme, we started looking for suitable communication tools with which we could address citizens in a targeted manner. We found what we were looking for in the Energy Caravan,” commented Bastian Peukert, Climate Protection Manager for the City of Aachen. In 2022, fesa e.V. and Climate Alliance introduced the Energy Caravan campaign to municipal representatives. Since then, the municipal ‘altbau plus’ association has acted as coordinator for the Energy Caravan.

The Energy Caravan is an energy consultation campaign. The idea behind it is as simple as it is successful: municipalities use trained energy advisors to provide initial consultations and, in the case of Aachen, information about the renovation funding programme, to people in their own homes. The campaign follows a neighbourhood approach and is therefore scalable – as applicable to large metropolises as it is to small towns.

“The impact of the Energy Caravan was enormous! The campaign has facilitation around 200 additional onsite consultations. Thanks to the consultation services, we were able to reach citizens whom we would not normally be able to mobilise through other channels,” adds Michael Stephan, Managing Director of the altbau plus association. The renovation funding programme has become a success story and the results are impressive: The number of applications in the funding programme rose from 35 (2021) to 547 (2024), and the total funding sum taken up has increased many times over. The total amount funded from 2021 to 2024 amounted to around 6 million euros, resulting in some 62 million euros of total investment – that’s 10 euros invested in the renovation of private buildings for every euro funded!

The realisation of the Energy Caravan in Aachen clearly shows how important it is to address the target group effectively, especially when it comes to the complex topic of building renovation. The campaign’s initial consultations enable the city to communicate its support services in a targeted way. Aachen’s example shows that good ideas and ambitious targets aren’t the only things that count when it comes to municipal climate action. Observing carefully, remaining flexible and both recognising and tackling challenges is key to implementing measures effectively and thus advancing climate action.

Are you interested in finding out more about Climate Alliance's Energy Caravan campaign? Contact Jan Schwarz at j.schwarz(at)klimabuendnis.org for more information.

Learn more

• Aachen's special funding programme (in German)
• Energie Caravan in Aachen (in German)
• Energy Caravan for your municipality

_{Written in February 2025}