Clear pathways needs to be marked out by SEACAPs because we have clear risks to face. With this in mind, on Monday, July 10th 2023, at the Barcelona East School of Engineering (UPS CAMPUS EEBE), the Spanish partner of the SEACAP 4 SDG project, IREC, hosted a Catalan study visit for all the consortium representatives to participate, with the aim of introducing best practises implemented in the Catalonian municipalities related to the development of SECAPs. The event saw the participation of all the SEACAP 4 SDG project partners team, and many actors from the energy research field.

During the morning session, Mr. Jaume Salom, President of the IREC Thermal and Buildings group, gave an introductory speech to the audience on thermal energy and building performance analysis carried out by the organisation to facilitate the energy transition path of the supported municipalities.
Mrs. Elisabeth Keegan, as representative of the Lloret de Mar Municipality, presented the strategies implemented within the touristic sector, with a special focus on how the municipality seized the energy saving actions taking into account its characteristics, such as the presence of urban beaches.

Mrs. Laura Varo, from the supporting external entity ERF Energia & Sostenibilitat (Energy & Sustainability), gave an overview on the new SEACAPs that have been elaborated in the Lloret de Mar Municipality, with a diagnose of different buildings energy consumption and how the strategies can be improved based on this data.
During the afternoon session, Mr. Arnau Farguell Bosch, form the Diputació de Girona (Girona Provincial Council), provided an insight on the management of the new SEACAPs by the municipalities.

The session closed with the intervention of Mrs. Ainhoa Mata, from the Institut Català d'Energia (Catalan Energy Institute), who explained the economy decarbonization plans, namely the PROENCAT 2050, the Energy prospective for Catalonia 2050, which aims, among the other objectives, to encourage the transition to a neutral economy in greenhouses gas emissions, for a competitive, innovative and efficient use of energy sources.

The gathering represented an important occasion for sharing knowledge on good practices that could be replicated, alongside the fruitful confrontation between the attendees, giving an especial opportunity for the southern countries project partners’ to take a closer look on practical cases of sustainable and energy saving actions carried out by the Catalonian municipalities.