Built4People 2nd Clustering Event, 19 November 2024
On 19 November 2024, the 30 projects funded to date as part of the Built4People (B4P) Co-programmed Public Private Partnership gathered in Brussels for the second B4P clustering event, co-organised by CINEA and the Nebula project.
The objective of the event was to bring together project representatives to share lessons learned and good practices and to explore opportunities for synergies and future collaboration.
The event started with a welcoming address from Matthias Langemeyer, head of green research and innovation at CINEA, who emphasised the key role of innovation in the decarbonisation of the built environment whilst making it more sustainable and inclusive, in line with the values of the New European Bauhaus (NEB).
Mathieu Daloze, policy officer at DG ENER, then introduced the European Partnerships and provided a policy update of the timeline for upcoming Work Programmes from 2025 – 2027.
Mathieu also introduced the new priorities of the European Commission: a stronger, more competitive Europe that aligns with the objectives of the Green Deal. Innovation is key for EU competitiveness, however, it must be centred around the users to maximise benefits for all citizens, hence the importance of the people centric approach adopted in the Built4People Partnership.
The Built4People Partnership was presented in more detail by Anastasiya Yurchyshyna, ECTP, who also introduced the network of B4P Innovation Clusters (B4PICs), and the two projects that support the partnership, B4P Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) NEBULA[1] and STAR*Track[2].
Project representatives then moved into breakout rooms, each featuring a separate “track”:
Track 1: Digital solutions, from planning to operation
Track 1: Digital solutions, from planning to operation
Track 1 session presentations
Projects in Track 1 addressed the digital solutions aiming to support various activities within built environment ecosystems, by identifying focus areas and data necessary for planning, maintenance and execution of these activities.
Such digital solutions included: digital one-stop-shops , energy performance contracts (EPC), smart readiness indicators (SRI), digital building logbooks, platforms and data repositories, to mention a few.
Projects in this breakout session adopted a people-centric approach and envisaged an (expected) high level of replication of projects results, both complementing to increased complexity and challenges in interoperability.
Some common barriers included:
- Identifying funding opportunities for ecosystems.
- Lack of diversity of built environment stakeholders .
- Difficulties in collecting, processing, storing and securing data (this includes unwillingness/incapacity of actors to provide data, delays or inconsistencies in collected data, different aspects of sharing/accessing data, etc.).
- A very complex and fragmented regulatory framework (e.g. with differences between countries).
- Limitations related to used models (for example, requirements to have a Building Information Modelling (BIM) representation, which is not always possible for historical buildings and/or should be created outside of the project models).
Project representatives discussed the necessity and importance of sharing knowledge and being able to capitalise on project results (both existing and previous projects).
Another common agreement was reached on challenges of interoperability and the necessity to demonstrate the marketability of the solutions within a project’s lifespan. Projects also underlined the effectiveness of public procurement, combined with regulatory sandboxes, to support the demonstration and uptake innovative solutions.
Many of this track’s projects included demonstrators and lighthouse cities, which would showcase and confirm the tangibility of their (expected and achieved) results for local communities and various stakeholders.
The participants envisaged possible synergies in the capitalisation of each project’s results by defining added value for each category of possible users (researchers, Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs), policymakers, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), integrators, Energy Services Companies (ESCOs), by aiming to create a database of the tools already developed (e.g., platforms, specialised digital tools, logbooks) and by simplifying access to data already collected and processed.
Furthermore, participants brainstormed on the system of possible motivation mechanisms, e.g. European Green Reward, aiming to increase energy efficiency, but with no trade-offs on the environment. This was particularly relevant in case of most of the EU projects, which had a technical focus, so that a more business-oriented perspective would be an asset.
Click here to download the slides from: EBENTO, FORTESIE, EVELIXIA, WeForming, DATAWISE, WILSON, DeCO2, SIRCULAR, STAR*track
Track 2: Solutions to make the built-environment more inclusive, accessible and resilient
Track 2: Solutions to make the built-environment more inclusive, accessible and resilient
Track 2 session presentations
Projects in Track 2 all emphasised that an integrated and holistic approach, as well as multi-criteria assessments, are needed to make sure that improvements in energy efficiency do not negatively affect other components of the building performance such as resilience or well-being.
Projects in this track are developing digital tools to streamline and support decision-making and to select the best integrated option, considering cost and impacts over the whole life cycle.
Digital tools are also instrumental in facilitating citizen engagement, although this can be complex from a technical standpoint, as citizens have different levels of expertise and IT literacy.
The appropriate scale to address the resilience of the built environment was also discussed, from the level of the building, neighbourhood, city or territory, depending on the climate risk that the solution intends to address.
Common challenges experienced by projects included:
- Effective and long-lasting engagement with communities and building occupants.
- Alignment of the project innovations with what is actually feasible within the demonstrators and the expectations of building owners and occupants.
- Data collection, integration and interoperability.
- Replicability and scalability beyond project end: a business case needs to be found for the developed solutions, to be able to deploy them in new locations (e.g. replication strategy with fellow cities) and support market uptake.
- Social acceptance: Sustainability is not tangible for a lot of citizens, but resilience to extreme events and other co-benefits are easier to understand.
The sharing of knowledge, lessons learnt and good practices are key to tackle more efficiently those challenges. Projects that have just started can also learn a lot from more mature projects, especially on co-creation approaches and stakeholder engagement.
Several sister projects have already initiated clustering activities, and have started to launch initiatives together, for instance with joint workshops and joint publications.
Further opportunities for synergies were proposed during the session:
- Set up a knowledge sharing platform to share results.
- Establish thematic working groups to exchange lessons learnt and collectively identify future priorities for research.
- Organise joint webinars and coaching sessions for demo cities to learn from experts on specific topics.
Click to download the slides: MULTICARE, MULTICLIMACT, GINNGER, REGEN, WeGenerate, CLIMRES, Minority Report, RETIME, AccesS, inclusiveSpaces
Track 3: Solutions for renovation and low-emission buildings
Track 3: Solutions for renovation and low-emission buildings
Track 3 session presentation
Projects in Track 3 foster the sustainable low-emission retrofitting and renovation of buildings. They develop and deploy digital tools such as decision-making support platforms, as well as innovative technologies such as Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), multisource heat-pumps, and new materials (e.g. bio-based insulation materials).
In addition, some of the projects emphasised their role in preserving cultural heritage buildings while improving their energy performance.
Apart from their technical aspects, these projects also integrate principles of circularity, including Life Cylce Assessment (LCA), to promote sustainable resource use throughout the building’s life.
Cost-effectiveness is another key factor, ensuring that innovative technologies and approaches are financially viable and accessible for widespread adoption across diverse regions and building types.
Furthermore, all projects emphasised the importance of addressing the social dimension of building renovation. They highlighted the need for community engagement and the aesthetic quality of renovations to ensure acceptance not only from the inhabitants themselves, but also from the local community who will experience changes in the neighbourhood.
Some common barriers encountered by the projects included:
- Fire safety regulations: Stricter regulations for fire safety can limit the use of certain innovative materials or construction methods, particularly when retrofitting existing buildings.
- Visual impact: Balancing modern, energy-efficient renovations with the aesthetic or historical character of buildings can be challenging, especially in heritage sites or areas with strict architectural guidelines.
- Cultural barriers among diverse professionals: Collaboration between professionals from different cultural and technical backgrounds, such as architects, engineers and local authorities, can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or slow progress due to differing approaches or priorities.
- Affordability: The cost of implementing energy-efficient solutions or using sustainable materials may be prohibitive, especially for large-scale renovations or for owners with limited financial resources. Ensuring cost-effective solutions remains a significant challenge for widespread adoption.
To address these barriers more effectively, it is essential to share knowledge such as lessons learnt, as well as good practices. During the session, some common approaches were already identified, such as safety regulations, LCA or standardisation initiatives, among others. In particular, the following opportunities for synergies were mentioned:
- Baseline data sharing and data interoperability: Projects can benefit by sharing baseline data on energy performance, building materials and renovation outcomes. Ensuring data interoperability across different platforms and tools enables smoother collaboration and comparison of results, improving the collective knowledge base and fostering innovation.
- Joint stakeholder surveys and sharing of learnings: Conducting joint surveys with stakeholders, such as residents, professionals and policymakers, allows projects to gather diverse perspectives and more comprehensive insights. Sharing the findings can help refine engagement strategies, improve co-creation processes and address common challenges more effectively.
- Technical workshops: Organising joint technical workshops to discuss innovations, technical solutions and practical challenges. These events allow for peer-to-peer learning, problem-solving and the exchange of expertise in different areas.
- Joint publications: Collaborating on publications allows projects to pool their research and findings, reaching a wider audience and promoting best practices across the field. This not only strengthens the visibility of each project but also helps create a unified body of knowledge that can guide future efforts in renovation and low-emission building practices.
- Opening up the ‘Building Stories platform’: The SINCERE Project has created an open federated digital platform, which will aggregate content created and disseminated independently by each building. The project representative invited the other projects to collaborate and integrate similar content of their own pilot buildings.
Click to download the slides from: AEGIR, REHOUSE, RE-SKIN, DRASTIC, INBUILT, SNUG, CALECHE, Herit4ages, INHERIT, SINCERE
The day concluded with a round table to provide feedback on the format of the event, and to identify priorities that should be prioritised for future Work Programmes.
Project representatives were very positive about the event and stressed the need for follow-up activities, such as joint events and more focussed thematic workshops, to keep up momentum.
Challenges relating to the certification of innovative products and to public procurement were once again highlighted. Other challenges mentioned included finding the right business models and financing schemes (including follow up public funding) for market uptake.
Top priorities mentioned by EU projects included:
- Circularity, regenerative built environment, sufficiency.
- Bridge B4P calls with the calls for advanced materials, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning.
- Better support the valley of death between Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) TRL5 and TRL7, thanks to open innovation test beds, for instance.
- Provide support to EU SMEs of the construction sector.
The event was closed by Gordon Sutherland, CINEA, who invited participants to further develop the collaborations initiated during the meeting.
Karine Laffont-Eloire delivering a presentation at the plenary session.
