A Policy Brief for the Energy Regeneration of Public Housing Neighborhoods: Insights from a Case Study, Genoa

Regenerating public housing neighborhoods means addressing context-specific issues and global challenges. For planning contemporary cities, literature proposes several frameworks as ideal objectives (e.g. the 3S model); however, the risk is to favor sectoral approaches and silos thinking. The research explores Policy Briefs [PBs] and reconceptualizes them as urban planning and governance tools. Indeed, while generally described as tools to transfer knowl-edge from experts to a non-specialist audience, PBs can also facilitate multi-actor and transdisciplinary approaches that effectively support decision-making through concrete and realistic evidence-based recommendations. The paper aims to define a clear methodological approach for the co-engineering of PBs on the energy regeneration of public housing neighborhoods. First, the paper presents the elements to be considered for the drafting of a high-quality PB. Subsequently, an approach is proposed that integrates the participa-tion of strategic actors and the use of fully analogue, digital or mixed methods, techniques and technological tools in the planning stages of urban regeneration projects. The methodology is then tested to an Italian public housing neighbor-hood: San Pietro (Genoa, Italy). The application leads to the evaluation of a series of regeneration interventions and the drafting of a PB that is also useful for Administrations to further involve stakeholders in the regeneration process. This research paper is part of the preliminary work for the definition and the implementation of the activities within the SocioEcoHoods Erasmus+ project, recently approved by the European Commission.