From a Canadian case study in Burnaby to practical tools like social KPIs, they explore how municipalities and companies can work together to improve community well-being, strengthen business cases, and stay competitive.

🎯 For: Business developers, municipal decision‑makers, and energy professionals.

Social sustainability is often overlooked in district heating, yet it is essential for creating energy systems that are resilient, inclusive, and trusted by communities. It goes beyond economic and environmental goals to address the broader social impacts of energy projects—ensuring benefits are shared across stakeholders, from employees and customers to local communities and future generations.

A recent study funded by the International Energy Agency explored this in Burnaby, Canada, revealing key differences from the European context. While Europe often frames social sustainability around fuel poverty, Canadian stakeholders linked it to health, climate resilience, and urban planning. Interviews with a wide range of stakeholders—from architects to disaster management offices—showed that district heating’s value extends far beyond its core function.

Social sustainability can be embedded at every stage of the district heating value chain, creating opportunities for innovation and stronger community ties. Social Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help measure these impacts, with many benefits—such as community education, inclusive urban design, and improved cityscapes—being non-monetary but highly influential.

Drivers include both external pressures (legislation, procurement requirements, public expectations) and internal motivations (competitiveness, talent attraction, stakeholder trust). Municipalities can lead by setting clear social sustainability criteria and integrating urban and energy planning. District heating companies benefit by aligning with these expectations, building partnerships, and enhancing their business cases—turning social engagement into a competitive advantage.

The shift towards social sustainability is not about technology—it’s about mindset. Strong relationships, cross-sector collaboration, and deep community integration will define the most successful and future-ready district heating projects.

Across Europe, citizens are taking energy into their own hands—literally in their own backyards. In this episode of the WaterWarmth podcast, we explore how local energy communities and cooperatives are driving forward Aqua Thermal Energy (ATE) and district heating solutions.

Our guests:

• Morten Westergaard, Special Climate and Energy Advisor, Middelfart Municipality (Denmark)
• Joachim Vanwalleghem, Project Coordinator, Energent (Belgium)

Together, they share stories of both small “Mickey Mouse” pilots and large “elephant-scale” initiatives, showing how communities are leading the way to decarbonize heat, strengthen resilience, and ensure local ownership of the green transition.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How Middelfart’s pond-powered pilot became a beacon for community-driven heating solutions.
• Why Energent grew from a handful of citizens to one of Europe’s largest energy cooperatives with over 2,500 members.
• The unique value of energy communities: local commitment, democratic governance, and long-term thinking.
• Why district heating—and Aqua Thermal Energy in particular—is always a local story.
• Funding challenges and opportunities: from capital calls to the need for public guarantees.
• Profit vs. purpose—how stability and long-term returns are reshaping the idea of value.
• Practical advice for communities: start small, build networks, and celebrate every victory.

Whether you’re a policymaker, a city planner, or simply curious about the future of heating, this episode is full of insights on how communities are reshaping Europe’s energy landscape—one backyard at a time.

🔗 Listen now and discover why the future of heat is local.

What happens when a small Danish town dares to think big?

In this episode, we explore how Sønder Felding has transformed its local district heating system into a cutting-edge model of electrification, flexibility, and ultra-low-cost heat. Manager Tony Dam Jensen and Fenagy’s Ebbe Nørgaard share how large heat pumps, thermal storage, and smart market participation are unlocking new opportunities - not just for heating companies but for entire electricity grids.

This is Power-to-X in action. It’s not complex. It just works.

In this first episode of the WaterWarmth podcasts, host Lesya Logvynenko is joined by Lenn Coussement from Extraqt and Lars Zwaaneveldt, a Dutch policymaker, to uncover the potential of aquathermal systems. From technical feasibility to policy roadblocks, they explore whether this emerging solution can scale up – or if it will remain a niche experiment in Europe’s energy mix.

🎧 Tune in to find out!

To give input on that topic, we have invited Mayor Steen Christiansen from the municipality of Albertslund, chairman of the heat transmission company VEKS, and board member of the Danish DH Association to discuss with Volker Kinzlen, Managing Director of KEA, BW.

This podcast episode is for all the women and people whose identity includes womanhood who have ever experienced imposter syndrome walked into a room and realised they were the only woman in it. Or put on an enormous pair of safety goggles and hoped no site visit photographs would be taken.

It is also for anyone who wants to know more about experiences being a woman in the heat networks industry or who wants to help champion diversity. Whoever you are, we hope this makes you feel a little less alone and a little more included.