SINFONIA – Experiences in large-scale retrofits in Innsbruck

The SINFONIA project was initiated in 2014 to implement large-scale, integrated, and scalable energy solutions in mid-sized European cities over a six-year period. The heart of this initiative was the cooperation between two pioneering cities – Bolzano, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria – to achieve 40-50% primary energy savings and increase the share of renewables by 20%. To reach these ambitious energy savings goals an integrated set of steps was used: the retrofitting of more than 100,000 square meters of residential and school buildings, optimization of the electricity grid, and implementing sustainable solutions for district heating and cooling by increasing the share of renewable energy.