Financial and technical feasibility for a social housing retrofit pilot project in Maceió

Request for Proposal (RfP) Financial and technical feasibility for a social housing retrofit pilot project in Maceió C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc. 120 Park Avenue, 23rd Floor New York, NY 10017 United States of America November, 2026 Contents 1. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc. 1 2. Summary, purpose and background of the project 1 3. Objectives of the RfP 3 4. Scope of Work and Activities 4 5. Proposal guidelines 7 6. RfP and project timeline 10 7. Proposal evaluation criteria 10 8. Project budget 12 9. C40 policies 12 10. Submissions 1 27 1. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc. C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to limit global heating in line with the Paris Agreement and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. We work alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to support mayors to halve emissions by 2030 and help phase out fossil use while increasing urban climate resilience and equity. To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn, X, BlueSky, Threads, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. 2. Summary, purpose and background of the project About the social housing retrofit project The idea of the social housing retrofitting project aims to increase energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and elevate living conditions for communities most in need by reducing energy bills, improving health, and increasing a sense of belonging. Buildings account for about 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to the materials and fossil fuels used to construct, heat, cool, and power them. Decarbonising buildings is a critical global challenge, as many of them have low energy efficiency, resulting in unnecessarily high energy costs, increased carbon emissions, and substandard living conditions. In the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, Request for Proposal: Financial and technical feasibility for a social housing retrofit pilot project in Maceió 1 approximately 25.5% of the population is currently classified as low-income. Within this group, energy costs tend to be high. According to ECLAC and the International Energy Agency (IEA), while an average household spends between 7% and 9% of its total income on energy, low-income households spend more than 12%, reaching up to 24% in extreme cases. Understanding “vulnerable populations” as groups with limited access to income, urban infrastructure, and adequate housing, cities have the potential to protect and improve the resilience of their most vulnerable residents by supporting the retrofit of social housing stock with modern energy-saving improvements. These features can include technologies such as LED lights, solar panels, shading, cool roofs, efficient air-conditioning, ceiling fans, solar water heaters and natural ventilation. By applying these transformations, cities can conserve energy and reduce emissions while improving living conditions for their residents. C40 Cities is working with the City of Maceió to advance its social housing retrofitting goal to lower emissions and improve the quality of life for its low-income residents. Project background In Maceió, the energy-efficient retrofitting of social housing can revitalise and enhance urban areas by making use of existing infrastructure and reducing resource waste. It also improves quality of life for low-income families by providing safer, more comfortable, and more sustainable homes, without the need for new urban expansion. Social housing in Maceió is generally built by the government or financed through private-sector initiatives under the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV) national programme (My House, My Life), which serves low-income populations, including households earning up to R$ 2,850 per month in the lowest income bracket. The Novo Centro Program, currently at the law-approval stage, aims to rehabilitate and revitalise the historic city centre of Maceió, known as the “Novo Centro.” The area includes the Centro district and parts of Jaraguá, Prado, Poço, and Pajuçara neighbourhoods. Developed by the Municipal Institute for Research and Urban Planning of Maceió (IPLAM), the programme is overseen by a steering committee comprising municipal departments, commercial associations, and local institutions, ensuring cross-sectoral coordination in its implementation. The law seeks to strengthen the local economy, public services, and leisure opportunities in the historic downtown through the “Living in the Downtown” (Morar no Centro) initiative. This initiative promotes the rehabilitation of vacant properties for residential use and offers significant tax reductions for projects