Request for Proposals: Development of Energy Efficiency Guidelines for Social Housing Retrofit Projects in the Cities of Buenos Aires and Formosa (Argentina)

Request for Proposal (RfP)
Development of energy efficiency guidelines for
social housing retrofit projects for the cities of
Buenos Aires and Formosa (Argentina)
Spanish below
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc.
120 Park Avenue, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
United States of America
June, 2026

Contents
1. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc. 1
2. Summary, purpose and background of the project 1
3. Proposal guidelines 2
4. RfP and project timeline 4
5. Proposal evaluation criteria 6
6. Project budget 7
7. C40 policies 8
8. Submissions 8
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 X, Instagram,
Facebook and LinkedIn.
2. Summary, purpose and background of the project
About the social housing retrofit project
Social housing retrofitting increases energy efficiency, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and elevates
living conditions for communities most in need by reducing energy bills, improving health, and providing
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 are energy inefficient, resulting in unnecessarily high energy costs, high emissions of carbon
and other pollutants, and substandard living conditions. In the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region,
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 their 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
Request for Proposals: Development of energy efficiency guidelines for social housing retrofit projects for the cities of
1
Buenos Aires and Formosa (Argentina)

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 photovoltaic or solar thermal panels, heat
pumps, or induction stoves. By implementing these retrofits, cities can conserve energy and reduce
emissions while improving living conditions for their residents.
C40 Cities is working with the City of Buenos Aires and the City of Formosa and is looking for a
consultant(s) to support both cities to advance local social housing sustainable retrofit and renewable
energy goals.
Track A: City of Buenos Aires
City background
The City Housing Institute (IVC) of the City of Buenos Aires implements social and affordable housing
policies at the local level. The IVC leads the La Boca Habitat Rehabilitation Program (PRHLB), a closed
intervention scheme originally created in 1985 that has transformed over the decades.
Currently, the program focuses on the comprehensive rehabilitation of 13 "conventillos" (heritage collective
housing). In total, these buildings house 160 functional units where 172 family groups live in conditions of
high vulnerability. These structures were built at the end of the 19th century to accommodate waves of
European immigration. Over time, the conventillos became the symbol of cultural identity and the urban
landscape of La Boca.
Historically, the IVC's interventions in these buildings have focused on guaranteeing minimum conditions
of habitability, safety, basic sanitation, and tenure regularization (legal security of tenure). However, in line
with current climate crises and within the framework of the Buenos Aires Climate Action Plan 2050, which
seeks to reduce overall citywide carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050,
the government seeks to transition toward a rehabilitation model with a sustainable approach.
To achieve this model, the city identifies three priority structural obstacles and problems:
● Preservation of cultural identity: Energy efficiency measures in efficient buildings must be
innovative and cutting-edge, ye