JTP Groundwork: engaging the community for district heating renewal in SAŠA, Slovenia

Towards a sustainable district heating system

The SAŠA region’s TJTP prioritises district heating (DH) renewal, since the coal-reliant system is the oldest in Slovenia, operating since 1959. With coal being phased out by 2033, the region needs to switch to a stable and low-carbon heating system.

While a DH renovation plan – covering modernised infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and improved energy efficiency – was developed by regional decision-makers to result in more sustainable heating, the overall DH renewal has been met with resistance from local residents.

There are people concerned about higher heating costs and the reliability of new energy sources, while misinformation has made it harder to unify public support.

From challenges to solutions: ‘Warming up to SAŠA’s transition’

To address these challenges, JTP Groundwork provided support to local stakeholders to help them engage with the public and counter misinformation. The technical assistance included capacity-building sessions, targeted communication strategies, and an engagement roadmap.

Dedicated training sessions covered stakeholder mapping, message development, and communication campaign design, all of which was designed to help regional authorities adjust their outreach strategies. This process led to the ‘Warming up to SAŠA’s transition’ workshop, where diverse local actors worked together to improve engagement strategies.

This interactive workshop brought together representatives of local and national authorities, DH company staff, property managers, energy experts, civil society organisations, and academia.

The JTP Groundwork team guided all participants through three parallel sessions, each focused on one of the main challenges in the DH transition: encouraging energy efficiency renovations, promoting responsible energy consumption, and improving public trust.

Before the workshop, key regional actors had already mapped out the engagement landscape and identified different ‘personas’ – specific types of residents and attitudes towards the given topic – to help shape engagement strategies for the DH transition.

Building on this, participants in the workshop co-developed concrete engagement activities, forming the foundation of a roadmap for longer-term public involvement in the DH transformation.

The main outcomes from the workshop were as follows:

• Energy efficiency renovations: Participants planned engagement activities to encourage building renovations, including a ‘one-stop-shop’ Regional Information Centre that will provide advice on financing, renovation options, and available technical improvements.
• Energy-saving behaviours: As many residents over-use heating due to low prices, workshop participants worked on public awareness campaigns to promote small but effective behavioural changes. Activities included tips for optimising heating use and a gamification approach, where communities could cooperate with neighbours and compete against other blocks to reduce energy consumption.
• Public trust and countering misinformation: Since rising heating costs have increased public concern about the green transition, participants developed engagement activities focused on clear and transparent communication. These included community meetings with trusted local figures, direct information campaigns, and long-term messaging to highlight the benefits of the transition overall.

By combining clear messaging, proactive communication, and structured engagement, the SAŠA region is ensuring that local stakeholders not only stay informed, but are given meaningful chances to get involved in the transition. The strategies developed through this JTP Groundwork technical assistance will continue shaping community outreach efforts beyond the project's duration, offering a reference for other JTF regions.

More information

To learn more about JTP Groundwork and the outputs produced during this technical assistance, visit our website. If you are interested in receiving support, subscribe to our newsletter for news on the next call for expressions of interest in 2025.