Heating and cooling of buildings in the EU accounts for 80% of household energy use and emits 567 million tonnes of CO2 annually, with more than two thirds of building heating still reliant on fossil fuels. Cities and towns are stepping up to lead Europe’s clean heat transition, playing a critical role in reducing emissions, improving air quality, and increasing energy security.
To spotlight local achievements in heat decarbonisation, the 2025 EU Covenant of Mayors Award was granted this year to three Covenant signatories who stood out for their accomplishments and vision in the heat transition: Mechelen (Belgium), Laapeenranta (Finland), and Domokos (Greece).
This year’s Covenant Award was related to its Cities Heat Detox campaign, spotlighting cities’ efforts to cleanse their heating systems across Europe. Decarbonising heating is a complex challenge for local governments, requiring the involvement of many people and entities, while having far-reaching impacts on society, communities, and the economy.
The three winners were awarded by the jury not only for their exceptional achievements in decarbonisation, but also for their strong stakeholder engagement, support for vulnerable groups, effective communication, and broader benefits like energy independence and job creation.
“Decarbonising heating systems is one of the most pressing challenges on our path to climate neutrality and a just transition. Energy efficiency is one of the smartest ways to save energy and costs. The remarkable vision and dedication of the winning cities of Mechelen, Lappeenranta, and Domokos is a great example of what can be achieved, combining ambition, innovation, and care for their communities. This is the true spirit of the Covenant of Mayors. The European Commission remains strongly committed to supporting cities across Europe to accelerate the clean energy transition for the benefit of all citizens."
European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen
Heat planning and stakeholder engagement in Mechelen
The jury applauded the Mechelen’s comprehensive planning and concrete implementation steps. The city’s strategy relies on a large-scale roll-out of heat networks combined with heat storage to provide green heat to densely populated areas, while maximising the potential of local, renewable and residual heat sources. Such projects, once considered unfeasible in Mechelen, are now supported by pilot initiatives and new heat zoning maps.
The implementation of Mechelen’s heat plan is driven by strong local stakeholder mobilisation through a Heat Coalition of over 25 key organisations, from district system operators, energy cooperatives and government bodies, to social housing corporations and local businesses. The jury praised Mechelen’s vast engagement and outreach efforts to get everyone on board with their heat plan, as well as their focus on supporting vulnerable communities facing energy poverty.
“Mechelen is widely known for its dynamic urban development. With our city-wide heat plan, we aim to roll out the sustainability of our heritage at the same pace. With a clear end goal in mind and the commitment of many partners in a strongly developed heat coalition, we can effectively achieve the transition to green, carbon-free heating (or cooling) for all buildings on Mechelen's territory by 2050, once again taking the lead in Flanders. This important award is an impartial recognition of the quality and feasibility of our strategy and coalition.”
Bart Somers, Mayor of Mechelen.
Energy sovereignty and technological innovation in Lappeenranta
The jury commended Lappeenranta’s ambitious carbon neutrality goals, its already low CO2 rates in district heating, and commitment to energy sovereignty. The city’s proximity to Russia has made energy sovereignty and independence a pressing priority. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the border closure exposed the risks of relying on external energy sources, pushed Finnish cities like Lappeenranta to fast-track its shift to renewables.
The city had already made significant strides in cutting heat-related emissions by transitioning from individual to district heating, first powered by natural gas and later by biomass. Now, it’s pushing for carbon neutrality by 2030 by embracing low-cost, low-emission electricity to transform its district heating.
The city’s efficient thermal energy storage uses AI-driven algorithms to optimise charging based on capacity, electricity prices, and heat demand. This approach improves affordability and ensures equitable access to energy, while phasing out the last remaining fossil fuels. The jury applauds the city’s technological innovation, as well as their dedication to sharing knowledge for broader replication.
“The City of Lappeenranta has made a successful energy transition in district heating. First, the transition from natural gas to bioenergy in 2010. Now change towards climate neutral electricity and waste heat has begun. Lappeenranta has also piloted new technologies. The change is good for climate and good for the citizens.”
Tuomo Sallinen, Mayor of the City of Lappeenranta.
Community resilience and energy poverty in Domokos
The success of these three winners – all cities with populations under 100,000 – demonstrates that meaningful impact is achievable regardless of size, in diverse contexts, conditions, and capacities.
The Greek municipality of Domokos with just 10,000 inhabitants, was commended by the jury for its extensive community engagement and ambitious project scope relative to municipal capacity and resources. The town has focused its decarbonisation efforts on public buildings, improving efficiency in its educational facilities by installing air-to-water and reversible heat pumps in schools.
By prioritising schools, they are creating healthier, more sustainable learning environments, while setting an example for public infrastructure upgrades. The jury also praised Domokos’ strong focus on vulnerable groups, including children and individuals with health conditions.
“By developing a comprehensive clean energy strategy and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, we are promoting sustainable solutions for a greener future. Starting with schools—an ambitious and widely accepted large-scale project—our initiative extends to all municipal buildings, reducing the Municipality’s carbon footprint and strengthening sustainability goals.”
Liolios Charalampos, Mayor of Domokos.
The three winners will receive their awards and join a high-level panel with EU decision-makers on the topic of heat decarbonisation at the next Covenant of Mayors ceremony, in the fall of 2025.
Details
- Publication date
- 19 March 2025