The chapter focuses on Historical Villages (HVs), a precious segment of European cultural identity heritage characterized by fragile environments that, over the last decade, have experienced a progressive rapid decay. There is an urgent need to develop initiatives aimed at preserving the memory and heritage of past communities and inhabitants. Renovation strategies are crucial in halting the depopulation of HVs, offering a wide-ranging opportunity for a novel approach to conservation and revitalization. This approach has the potential to generate added value, enhance appeal, spur growth, and facilitate transformation in areas grappling with degradation. Moreover, the paper introduces an innovative strategy for decarbonizing HVs known as Energy Communities (ECs): an approach gaining traction across Europe. These communities entail initiating participatory processes through public–private partnerships. The initial section provides a comprehensive overview of the growing concept of ECs in Italy, underscoring their pivotal role in fostering a transition toward economic, technical, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the paper examines challenges and opportunities in Italy aimed at preserving the heritage value of HVs and encouraging their historical identity. This involves empowering local inhabitants to spearhead bottom-up initiatives promoting their integral role in building refurbishment, retrofitting, and valorization toward decarbonization objectives. Finally, the paper presents an Italian case study: the CommOn Light Energy Community, which serves as an exemplar of best practices in Italy. It combines community engagement, innovative funding strategies, and a scalable model for national replication, emerging as a benchmark for future endeavors in sustainable energy development and community-driven initiatives.