A household is “energy poor” if more than 10% of its income is spent on heating and electricity. People with migrant backgrounds are more than twice as likely as the “natives” to be poor. Their share in energy poor households is thus also higher-than-average. In ten Tyrolean communes, for the first time, interculturally trained energy saving helpers counsel concerned households in their mother tongue as to how to reduce energy consumption whilst maintaining comfort at previous levels. Also, low-cost energy efficient devices and consumables are available thanks to sponsoring. 15 social institutions and firms of the energy sector cooperate within an “energy poverty competence team” to further develop the project.
