BUILD UP

The ENERFUND tool aims to scale up investments in deep renovation of buildings across Europe. Funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, it provides key stakeholders, such as financing institutions, energy service companies and local authorities, with sound and up-to-date information regarding the energy efficiency of the EU’s building stock.

Every month, BUILD UP highlights publications covering a specific topic. March’s Topic of the Month is: ‘Renovation and retrofitting of existing public and non-residential buildings’. The website is already open for contributions and BUILD UP’s editorial board is eager to receive your discussion papers, news and articles.

A BUILD UP skills event will take place during the Barcelona Building Construmat ’19 international trade fair to be held on 14-17 May. Participants in this workshop will include the European Commission, national authorities, building industry representatives, education and training experts and EU-funded projects.

With a focus on residential buildings, the iBRoad project analyses and builds upon relevant examples from Germany, France and Belgium (Flanders) to identify the elements, develop an integrated concept, and produce modular tools suitable for differing national conditions. If you want to know more about the iBRoad project and the Building Renovation Passports do not miss this webinar produced in collaboration with Build Up!

In 2017, in an EU-wide survey, 8 % of the population of the European Union said they could not afford to heat their home adequately. This share peaked in 2012 (11 %) but has fallen continuously in subsequent years.

In the case of regenerative processes, design can receive significant benefits from information that can be obtained by applying the life-cycle assessment methodology. The LCA approach can be implemented both for a single building material and for the whole building.

The study describes the results of a full LCA applied to 24 statistically-based dwelling archetypes, representative of the EU housing stock in 2010. The aim is to quantify the average environmental impacts related to housing in Europe and to define reference values (baseline scenario) for policy development.

The book is based on lessons learned lessons from net-zero energy buildings design, construction and operation which are integrated to introduce the most relevant and multidisciplinary topics, such as climate sensitivity, comfort requirements, carbon footprints, construction quality and evidence-based design.

This is a case study of the RENOZEB project in Estonia. This will include innovative components and processes and decision-making methodologies to guide all value-chain actors in nZEB building renovation activities.

BIM4Ren is a European-funded research project involving 23 European partners. Its general objective is to help to improve the low productivity rate of the European construction sector in the energy renovation market segment.

The BIMzeED project focuses on the training needs for the current and future construction industry, the main purpose being to encourage: 1) better employability; 2) low-carbon growth; 3) green and nZEB skills; and to 4) increase youth employment.

RENOZEB aims to unlock the nearly-zero-energy-building (nZEB) renovation market by increasing property value through a new systemic approach to retrofitting.

The BIMcert project will develop a blended, fully supported suite of building information modelling learning tools which will enable geographically dispersed construction project teams to use technology to enhance information exchange and collaboration.

EuroACE is currently presenting the final version of its Guide to EPBD Implementation in a series of webinars in cooperation with BUILD UP. The third webinar in the series, which took place on 13 February, discussed smart and technology-equipped buildings focusing on new features from the amended EPBD.

The Modelica Buildings library is a free open-source library with dynamic simulation models for building and district energy and control systems. The primary purpose of the library is for flexible and fast modelling to accelerate innovation leading to cost-effective very-low-energy systems for new and existing buildings.

The aim of the Urban Adaptation Support Tool (UAST) is to help cities, towns and other local authorities to develop, implement and monitor climate change adaptation plans. UAST was developed as practical guidance for urban areas in recognition of their importance to the European economy.

During this event, the roadmap and its preliminary findings will be presented during the morning session.

Greenbuild Europe, Human X Nature is the flagship event for sustainability professionals while Greenbuild Europe is the first annual conference for professionals in this European sector.

Following the adoption of the EU’s Clean Energy Package setting long-term targets for 2030, 2019 will be a critical year for Member States to decide which policy tools can deliver results.

The event is not just an exhibition of products and solutions – it will also provide a platform of knowledge comprising international keynotes, relevant debates, idea pitching and much more.