About this session

Each month, the EU Peers Who is Who series invites a One-Stop Shop from across Europe to share their experience in 30 minutes — how they work, what they have achieved, and what others can learn from them.

This month, we welcomed Kieran Cunnane, Warm Home Hub Manager and a founding member of the Galway Energy Co-operative, who walked us through one of Ireland's most innovative community-driven renovation projects.

About the Warm Home Hub

The Community One Stop Shop, Warm Home Hub, was delivered by Galway Energy Cooperative — a community-first, people-focused initiative built around the principle of meeting homeowners where they are and supporting them through every stage of their retrofit journey. From first enquiry to completed renovation, the model was designed to reduce barriers and build trust, with particular attention to lower-income households and those facing the highest obstacles to entry.

What made the Warm Home Hub distinctive was its commitment to rigour alongside accessibility. The model was developed in collaboration with universities to better understand homeowner needs and continuously improve delivery. Local neighbourhood campaigns, expert-led sessions, and high-volume, personalised consultations — streamlined to approximately 40 minutes per client — combined to create an offer that was both scalable and genuinely human.

The initiative was initially funded by NetZero Cities, with a further three-month extension supported by the Government of Ireland and Galway City Council. It leaves a lasting digital legacy through warmhomehub.ie, ensuring continued access to guidance and resources beyond the lifetime of the funded programme.

What Kieran shared

Kieran walked us through the journey and reflected on what worked, what was hard, and what other One-Stop Shops can take away. Key achievements include:

• 481 homeowners who signed up to the service
• Some 200 homes progressing on their retrofit journey
• 8 neighbourhood campaigns and more than 25 community events and open days
• "Meet the Expert" sessions connecting communities with technical specialists
• A replicable model combining data, community engagement, and personalised guidance

This event was reserved for EU Peers members. Not yet a member? Joining takes just 5 minutes — and gives you access to the full Who is Who series and the wider EU Peers community of practice.