InvestEU: Metropolitan City of Turin and CDP join forces to improve school buildings

InvestEU: Metropolitan City of Turin and CDP join forces to improve school buildings

Agreement signed by the two institutions: Cassa Depositi e Prestiti will provide advisory services to the local authority for the regeneration and increased energy efficiency of the area’s educational infrastructure

 

The aim of the memorandum of understanding signed by the Metropolitan City of Turin and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is to promote and support the programme for the urban renewal and increased energy efficiency of school buildings in order to ensure a more modern and sustainable scholastic services for the local community.

The partnership of the local authority and CDP will last until 31 December 2026 and is intended to guarantee innovative educational infrastructure for the student population within its purview, ensuring a better use over the medium to long term. It is a goal that can be achieved thanks to the advisory service provided by CDP and financed by the European Union under the InvestEU Programme and by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti itself.

As part of the “Turin 2024/2026” Metropolitan Strategic Plan, specifically axis 4 – “Turin as a learning city” – the Metropolitan City of Turin, which manages a total of 160 school buildings, intends to develop, implement and roll out a comprehensive programme to upgrade and regenerate its educational buildings, both from a structural perspective and in terms of energy efficiency. More specifically, the plan consists of 66 projects in the area to transform the city into a laboratory for a new model of schooling.

In its role of Advisory Partner to the European Commission, CDP will provide the local authority with advice on the definition of the implementation plan and the economic and financial sustainability of infrastructure projects aimed at the adaptation, modernisation and improved energy efficiency of the educational building stock, with particular reference to financing strategies and the definition of innovative project models, as well as the redevelopment through new uses of those buildings no longer suitable for school purposes.

To provide an effective tool to support decision-making, CDP’s work will focus in particular on the review and systematic organisation of the data held by the Metropolitan City of Turin in order to streamline both the analysis and the identification of methods of intervention based on available resources, and the potential support in the event of use of public-private partnerships (PPP).

Jacopo Suppo, Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan City of Turin, said: “The agreement with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is part of a strategy that allows us to address the complexity of the metropolitan school network in an integrated way. Taking action in upper secondary schools means supporting an educational network spread across 235 buildings, which serve more than 90,000 students. CDP’s advisory support will help us turn these needs into sustainable projects that can have a real impact on the daily lives of local communities”.
Caterina Greco, Metropolitan Councillor for Education, added: “Schools aren’t just places of learning, but also spaces where the future of new generations is built. For this reason, making buildings safe, modernising them and improving their energy efficiency are not only technical objectives but also social and cultural goals. With this initiative we aim to promote inclusive, innovative and environmentally friendly environments that promote teaching and learning and strengthen the bond with the local community”.
Maria Elena Perretti, Advisory Manager at CDP remarked: “Thanks to the support of the InvestEU Advisory Hub, the cooperation initiated with the Metropolitan City of Turin allows us to support the authority in a structured process of economic and financial analysis to promote the sustainability of the projects planned for the local schools. Identifying the most effective financing models for each case, clearly defining priorities and selecting the most suitable solutions for each project, maximises the effectiveness of public spending. This is the objective we are pursuing through this cooperation. It is a valuable opportunity for CDP to solidify its commitment as Italy’s national promotional institution, generating tangible benefits for the public and for the communities it serves”.