As summer temperatures rise, staying comfortable at home can become increasingly challenging – particularly for older residents and households already concerned about energy costs.

On 16 June 2026, the City of Milan and AMAT – Sportello Energia, within the REGEN project and in collaboration with Municipality 6 and the Giambellino–Lorenteggio Neighbourhood Laboratory/Casetta Verde, organised a local workshop focused on a simple but increasingly important question:

How can we protect ourselves from summer heat while using energy responsibly?

Held at Casetta Verde in Giambellino–Lorenteggio, the workshop brought together 30 older residents for an afternoon of practical information, discussion and individual guidance.

From summer heat to everyday energy choices

The workshop was the second appointment in the “L’Energia del Quartiere” pathway promoted by Sportello Energia within REGEN.

Following an open information stand at the Sagra del Giambellino on 13 June, the 16 June event provided a smaller and more focused setting where residents could explore the topic in greater depth and raise questions related to their own homes and daily routines.

Rather than focusing only on technical information, the Energy Help Desk operators translated the topic into practical actions that residents could apply in their everyday lives.

The discussion covered:

• recognising heat-related risks and adopting protective behaviours;
• using external shading and shutters to reduce exposure to direct sunlight;
• ventilating homes during cooler evening and night-time hours;
• using fans and air conditioning more efficiently;
• understanding the relationship between household habits, energy consumption and bills;
• accessing free follow-up support through the City of Milan Energy Help Desk.

This approach connected two issues that are often discussed separately: climate resilience and energy affordability.

For older residents in particular, the challenge is not simply about reducing energy consumption. It is also about finding safe and realistic ways to maintain indoor comfort and protect wellbeing without creating unnecessary costs.

A workshop built around dialogue

The event combined a short presentation with questions and answers, collective discussion and one-to-one support.

This format proved particularly useful for encouraging participation. The 30 participants remained engaged throughout the session, asking questions, relating the information to their own homes and seeking clarification directly from the Energy Help Desk operators.

The familiar setting of Casetta Verde also played an important role. As a trusted neighbourhood space, it helped bring municipal information and services closer to residents who may not otherwise access central services independently.

The event therefore became more than an information session: it created space for listening, exchange and personalised guidance.

Connecting REGEN with residents’ everyday needs

For the REGEN Milan Demo Site, the workshop demonstrated how the project’s broader objectives can be translated into issues that residents immediately recognise.

The activity connected low-carbon neighbourhood regeneration, climate resilience, inclusion and affordability with a concrete municipal service and residents’ immediate concerns.

It also reinforced Casetta Verde’s role as a local anchor for future REGEN outreach, Neighbourhood Regeneration Office (NRO) activities and Living Lab engagement.

The workshop showed that practical, locally relevant topics can provide an effective entry point for engaging communities around wider neighbourhood transformation.

From outreach to deeper community engagement

Together with the 13 June outreach activity, the workshop demonstrated a promising two-stage engagement model:

Broad neighbourhood outreach → Focused thematic workshop → Deeper dialogue and individual support

This approach can be adapted to future REGEN Living Lab and NRO activities, helping the project engage different community groups around topics such as energy bills, energy poverty, indoor comfort and housing regeneration.

The next step is to build on these conversations — maintaining Energy Help Desk appointments in Giambellino–Lorenteggio, incorporating residents’ questions into future workshops and continuing to involve older residents in REGEN’s Living Lab activities.

Bringing neighbourhood transformation closer to people

The Milan workshop illustrates an important principle behind REGEN: neighbourhood regeneration is not only about infrastructure, technologies or buildings.

It is also about people, their everyday needs and their ability to participate in shaping more resilient and inclusive neighbourhoods.

By bringing information, services and dialogue into a familiar community setting, the REGEN Milan Demo Site is helping turn broader climate and energy objectives into practical local action.

And sometimes, meaningful regeneration starts with something as simple as helping a neighbor stay safe and comfortable during a hot summer.