On the 20th of March, the University of Macerata hosted the event “L’industria dello sport: stato, sostenibilità ambientale e prospettive”, where ENPOWER was presented as part of a wider outreach and dissemination activity led by Prof. Lorenzo Compagnucci. The session gathered 19 high school students and 1 teacher at the Polo Sibillini, creating an opportunity to link the project’s work on energy poverty with a sector that is often overlooked in sustainability debates but has a strong social and territorial relevance.
During the presentation, ENPOWER’s approach was used to frame a discussion on the energy and economic vulnerability of an aging sports infrastructure system, often built before today’s efficiency standards were in place. The talk highlighted how rising gas and electricity prices have affected the operating budgets of sports facilities, especially in energy-intensive venues such as swimming pools and centres with high heating, cooling and hot water demand. The presentation also connected the topic to the social role of sports facilities, underlining that closures or reduced operations due to high energy costs disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, which lose important spaces for inclusion and socialisation.
The event also included a classroom working group, where students were invited to analyse a sports facility and suggest measures to make it more sustainable. This interactive component helped reinforce ENPOWER’s broader message, that sustainable transitions require not only technical solutions, but also informed participation, co-design and awareness among younger generations. The presentation encouraged students and teachers to consider how energy efficiency, renewable energy, self-consumption and public investment can support more resilient, lower-impact infrastructure in the future.
