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L-V de 10.00 a 18.00h
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L-V de 10.00 a 18.00h
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Leg up Header

LEG-UP

Linking Energy Efficient Green Upgrades with Private Investments to support sustainable and affordable homes

01/06/2025 - 31/05/2028

Address the need for affordable, EE housing for low-income first-time buyers. Combine mortgage financing with energy renovation services. Leverage private capital and OSS to support sustainable homeownership.

About the project

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The LIFE LEG-UP project introduces an innovative model that connects affordable homeownership with energy-efficient renovation, using smart financial instruments and strong local support structures. Building on the successful Onesto social mortgage scheme in Belgium, the project expands the approach through a network of One-Stop Shops (OSS) that offer citizens technical, financial, and administrative assistance for sustainable home upgrades.

Target of the project:

  • - Lenders
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  • - European Public Banks
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  • - Private Investors
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  • - Energy Agencies and public authorities
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  • - Low-medium income homebuyers
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  • - OSS and Integrated home renovation services


 

At its core, LEG-UP designs a new energy-efficient mortgage in cooperation with ethical and cooperative lenders. This product enables low-income and first-time buyers to purchase and renovate their homes through a single, affordable loan, with repayments balanced by energy savings.

The model also integrates risk-mitigation tools to attract private investors and make green lending mainstream.

Pilot implementation

Pilot actions in Flanders (Belgium) and Girona (Spain) will test and validate the approach, generating insights for replication across Europe. By combining financial innovation, local capacity building, and citizen-centred services, LEG-UP paves the way for large-scale renovation schemes that can be adopted by municipalities, housing agencies, and investors.

Energy Efficiency Leg up

Contributing to the EU Renovation Wave, Energy Efficiency Directive, and REPowerEU Plan, LEG-UP promotes energy efficiency, social inclusion, and financial access, supporting a just and sustainable transition for European households.

Methodology

  • icon_finance

    Market analysis and data gathering

  • Technological infrastructure for EE loans

  • Market engagement and legal framework

  • Innovative financial schemes

  • Pilot implementation (Belgium and Spain)

  • Dissemination and capacity building

UCI Role

UCI, as Spanish mortgage lender with extensive expertise in green financing, plays a pivotal role in the design, coordination, and implementation of the LEG-UP project. UCI acts as a market expert, leading key work packages:


  • - WP2 – Data Collection, Gap Analysis & Knowledge Transfer: Collects data on low-efficiency housing, analyzes regulatory frameworks, and conducts feasibility studies for model replication.
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  • - WP4 – Market Engagement, Loan Set-Up & Pilot Design: Develops eligibility criteria, engagement strategies, and optimized loan origination procedures; designs pilot projects and customer journey maps.
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  • - Supports pilot implementation in Spain, regulatory compliance, and scaling strategies for energy-efficient, affordable housing finance.
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  • - Contributes to investor engagement, dissemination, and feasibility studies for multi-family buildings.
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  • UCI’s expertise ensures integration of financial products into renovation services, mobilization of private investment, and replication of the model across Spain and other EU markets.
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Partners



OnestoFundació EuropaceICCSEnerSaveCapitalUCI
Co-founded by the European Union
Disclaimer
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.