BUILD UP

General and speciality contractors are buying into BIM because of its potential benefits. Similar to other construction technologies, BIM has gained significant traction. The use of cloud-based software and mobile devices has helped contractors to adopt BIM to deliver projects better and faster.

The building sector presents a considerable unexploited potential for cost-effective energy savings. Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) standards have become a mandatory requirement in Europe for new construction from 2020, however increasing the rate, depth, quality and effectiveness of building renovation remains a challenge since the current European average rate of renovation is only 1.2 % per year.

Every month, BUILD UP highlights publications covering a specific topic. January’s Topic of the Month is ‘Digitalisation of the building and construction sector’. The website is already available for contributions and BUILD UP’s editorial board is eager to receive your discussion papers, news and articles.

The 11th edition of our Expert Talks hosts Dragomir Tzanev, Executive Director of the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect and official representative of the Municipal Energy Efficiency Network EcoEnergy, Bulgaria.

Eugenio Quintieri has been Secretary General of the European Builders Confederation (EBC) since June 2017. In addition to managing the secretariat, Eugenio represents the EBC on the European social dialogue committee, supervises several legislative fields, including digitalisation of the construction sector, and acts as the EBC’s leading spokesperson.

On 1 January.2021, the nearly-zero-energy building standard will be implemented in new buildings across EU countries. Thus, the construction sector is facing both the major task of achieving the lowest energy standard in buildings and ongoing changes in the labour market.

The transition to a forward-looking climate-neutral economy, announced in the European Green Deal, demands an action plan whereby public- and private-sector investments are channelled towards climate-friendly technologies and business models.

From office workers to students, Americans facing colder weather and more time indoors have a pressing question: How can we keep safe amid a pandemic that scientists say thrives in indoor settings? The search for answers has prompted a new look at what architects and their buildings can do to help, both now and in the future.

In its recent Renovation Wave, the European Commission outlined its vision for making Europe’s current building stock more energy efficient and sustainable by at least doubling the annual energy renovation rate of buildings by 2030.

The Joint Task Force on Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings of the Group of Experts on Energy Efficiency was established in 2015 by the Committee on Sustainable Energy and the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management for 2016-2017 with the possibility of an extension.

The aim of the main features of the building, designed by Paumier Architectes, is to represent the company’s specificities and strengths. It has been constructed around a courtyard to highlight the company’s know-how, and adjoining the building's exhibition hall.

Nestled in the heart of a residential neighbourhood in the north of Brussels, the project closes off a fairly diverse square with a parking lot at its centre and faces a large church and an uninteresting housing structure.

The aim of this fellowship is to develop the professional prowess, advanced training, interdisciplinary skills, high-impact dissemination, and practical experience commensurate with a leading independent researcher in the EU. The goal of the project is to investigate the building and engineering techniques used in constructing Hadrian’s Villa, in Italy.

The EU-funded SUBLime project will develop the most advanced technology in lime-based materials modelling and description for industrial use that will surpass existing solutions in the new construction and conservation sectors.

The European construction industry must improve innovation among its SMEs in order to extend its value chain and integrate new dynamic industrial sectors. To achieve critical mass and promote internationalisation, the European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP) has initiated synergy with the ICT, additive manufacturing, nature-based solutions and the industrial recycling sectors.

procuRE brings together 6 procurers from 6 countries, responsible for over 21 000 public buildings, to invest over €EUR 7 million in research and development to tackle their common challenge of achieving 100 % renewable energy sources (RES) in the existing stock.

This webinar provided an overview of HEART technologies and their potential for reducing energy consumption. Participants learnt about the renovation experience of a four-storey building located in Italy and selected as a case study for the installation of the innovative set of solutions developed.

This webinar presented the Combined Labelling Scheme, one of the project tools specifically conceived for the renovation of dwellings. The scheme can provide clear evidence-based data on energy performance, indoor environmental quality, and well-being indicators.

If you are from a public authority, wishing to support co-owners in their endeavour, do not hesitate to spread the guide amongst your city's condominiums. The guide is divided into three big phases: “First steps”, “Taking-off” and “The real thing”.

My Europe in 2050 lets you choose how we will change the European "Machine" in the next decades. How we will move, live, eat and consume, how we will change the agriculture, transport, energy generation, building sector and production systems.

As happens every year, representatives of the public authorities, the economic and academic worlds and civil society will meet up to debate and share their experience of local energy transition around a programme comprising over 100 events – plenary sessions and workshops.

Following the successful first series of six webinars on the Energy Performance of Buildings standards (EN/ISO) supporting the implementation of the EPB Directive, an additional series of four webinars has been scheduled on the set-up and results of a series of example calculations on buildings and systems using the EPB standards.

The 9th FOR PASIV trade fair for low-energy, passive and zero-energy buildings, an event held under the auspices of the prestigious institutions in the country, will again present leading companies in the passive building sector. The trade fair will be promoted in the media through an exhaustive advertising campaign.

The Vienna Energy Forum is going online with the launch of the VEF Virtual Series – a series of online consultations to help countries around the world to align their recovery efforts with inclusive and sustainable industrial development.