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The final report of the Regio1st project shows how six European regions have begun to integrate the Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle into their energy planning processes. This principle, which prioritises efficiency solutions over new supply infrastructure, became clearer and more applicable to regional authorities thanks to a common methodological framework and a set of tools co-created with the territories.

Throughout the project, the regions took part in workshops, multilevel governance exercises, and technical analyses that enabled them to assess efficiency options, explore their impacts, and improve internal coordination. Although they progressed at different speeds, they agreed that applying EE1st requires stronger technical capacity, more reliable data, stable funding, and smoother collaboration between departments and governance levels.

The results show that deep or medium renovations, despite requiring greater initial investment, generate higher social and energy benefits in the long term compared with solutions centred on fossil fuels. They also show that decisions must be adapted to local context: factors such as the dominant fuel type, the structure of the energy system, or administrative capacity condition the feasible scenarios.

Regio1st concludes that integrating EE1st is not only a technical matter but a cultural shift in planning, which requires continuity, structured support, and solid governance frameworks to become established across Europe.