2) H&C working group / Stakeholder group

The second step is to set up a working group on H&C planning, which should be formally recognised within the local authority and suitably resourced. This can be done, for example, within the scope of responsibility of the urban planning department, as the process can be anchored here as a cross-sectional task. In any case, it must be ensured that i) cooperation with relevant municipal and external units takes place and ii) the group’s competences and authority are broad enough to actively influence the development of H&C within the municipality, e.g. by being able to influence the design of H&C in the development of new building and refurbishment zones. This step consists of two key tasks:

Defining roles and responsibilities: Determination of who is responsible for which organisational and operational tasks i.e. who coordinates H&C planning (and engages with policymakers), who provides technical support, data and information, etc. This step does not necessarily have to be completed at this point, as it may be necessary to define new responsibilities, change responsibilities, etc. in the course of the process.

Engaging stakeholders: This has two objectives. Firstly, to carry out stakeholder analysis by identifying and mapping relevant stakeholders and build on this to establish stakeholder management. Secondly, to form a stakeholder group, which is consulted during the work process to get feedback and agree on possible courses of action.

The core outcomes of step two are thus a i)working group on H&C planning and ii) a stakeholder group for consultation. As preparation for the formation of the stakeholder group, a stakeholder analysis can be carried out. First, relevant stakeholders are identified. Afterwards they are mapped. For example, according to the categories shown in Figure 2. This in turn leads to certain strategies for the stakeholder analysis. Steps three, four and five of the Workflow are technical steps that should be coordinated by the working group on H&C planning.

Interest- influence matrix for stakeholder analysis

Tools and Literature

• Thermos: Capacity Building and Train-the-trainer programme Module 6: Stakeholders involvement for adopting THERMOS. https://www.thermos-project.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/THERMOS_Module_6.pdf
• Jaansoo (2019): METHODOLOGY FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT within the project Inter Ventures. www.interregeurope.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/tx_tevprojects/library/file_1575537468.pdf
• Ilieva, Puranik et al. (2018): Draft D6.1 – Stakeholders, actors and roles. In project: Renewable penetration levered by Efficient Low Voltage Distribution grids (RESOLVD). https://resolvd.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/D6_1_FV-rev1.pdf
• Zimmermann, Maennling (2007). Mainstremming participation. Multi-stakeholder management: Tools for Stakeholder Analysis: 10 building blocks for designing participatory systems of cooperation. Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Available at: https://www.fsnnetwork.org/sites/default/files/en-svmp-instrumente-akteuersanalyse.pdf