The MESTRI-CE Launch Conference in Italy took place on 26 October in the city of Bolzano and was organised at the NOI Techpark, home to various public and private research institutes and numerous start-up companies. The event was used to present the main objectives and activities of the MESTRI-CE project and to involve stakeholders from the construction sector in the forthcoming activities of WP1 and WP2. It was also used to start building a list of stakeholders interested in accompanying the project. While it is felt that we are well on the way to having the technical skills to carry out good retrofitting, the need for recognised and validated generic verification tools was noted by several parties. One obstacle to financing deep retrofits is the uncertainty of the payback period for the lender, given the volatility of market prices and the ever-changing laws, regulations and forms of subsidy. The need to assess not only economic data, but also aspects such as comfort and well-being, has been noted by many. It is also important to consider not only construction costs but also maintenance costs. Those present agreed to contribute their own experience to the project. The main challenge that emerged from the meeting was to involve the banking system in the debate and to propose solutions that would enable more initiatives to be financed through public-private partnerships.
