25 Feb 2026 — POCITYF features in a podcast episode produced by the JUSTPEPP project, unpacking the realities of implementing PEDs in historical heritage cities
Can historic cities lead the energy transition without compromising the heritage that defines them? This question sits at the heart of a compelling new podcast episode of Are Energy Positive Futures Possible? produced by the JUST PEPP project, a Driving Urban Transition European project dedicated to making Positive Energy Districts inclusive and beneficial, particularly for residents of disadvantaged areas.
Cities across Europe are under pressure to decarbonize, yet historic urban areas present uniquely complex challenges. Strict preservation rules, protected buildings, and visual constraints often limit the deployment of renewable energy systems. But do these barriers make Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) incompatible with heritage environments or simply more demanding to design?
In this episode, Nuno Mateus from EDP, as project manager of the POCITYF project, joins Dimitra Drakaki from Climate Alliance to unpack the realities of implementing PEDs in cities with protected historical sites. Rather than treating heritage as an obstacle, the discussion reframes it as a design condition that requires creativity, collaboration, and long-term thinking.
The conversation explores the practical challenges cities and practitioners face when introducing energy innovations into sensitive contexts, from technological limitations to regulatory frameworks. Nuno Mateus emphasises that technical solutions alone are not enough: citizen engagement emerges as a decisive factor, shaping acceptance, feasibility, and long-term success.
Listen now at the JUST PEPP website.
Picture credits: SimaGhaffarzadeh on Pixabay
