Cork City Council has been selected to take part in a European project aimed at examining and testing the 'frugal city' approach to energy efficiency, receiving €246,884 in funding for the project from March 2023 to May 2027.

A 'frugal city' implements sufficiency by optimising the use of resources to develop circular economy pathways and resource longevity. The INTERREG Europe project FEEL will focus on two cross-cutting approaches to implementing the frugal city methodology to reduce carbon emissions in Cork. Sufficiency and Cooperation. The FEEL Project also aims to engage with key decision makers to promote the frugal methodology in policy instruments.

SUFFICIENCY is about meeting needs in ultra-simple ways without altering the quality of the result. The sufficiency approach can be implemented to reduce the demand for energy, land, water, and other virgin raw materials over the lifecycle of buildings, goods, and transport. Introducing a sufficiency approach by recycling items, repurposing used materials, and extending the lifetime of products will contribute to Ireland’s Circular Economy Strategy and in turn reduce our energy demand. A sufficient technology is one that achieves its aims using the least sophisticated and least expensive solution without negative impacts on the result.

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COOPERATION enables the local authority to organise and empower communities to create collective actions to reduce carbon emissions. By sharing learnings with partner cities on the FEEL project, Cork City Council will engage with communities to consider their resource use, reducing carbon emissions and improving quality of life.

Cork City Council, with assistance from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, is currently engaged in the process of retrofitting social housing units to reduce carbon emissions from heating and lighting. Retrofitting involves upgrading the home, making it warmer and more comfortable. Currently there are over 800 homes in Cork City in the process of receiving energy upgrades, reducing energy demand and conserving resources.

There are eight partners in the FEEL project, led by the Local Climate and Energy Agency of South Brittany in Lorient, France. Cork City's partners include Bistrita Municipality, Romania; Frederikshaven, Denmark; Liguria Region, Italy; Valencia Climate & Energy Foundation, Spain; Mazovia Energy Agency, Poland, and North Sweden Energy Agency, Sweden. Energy Cities in France are project advisors.