
Acceptable indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency standards: can buildings meet both (and for everyone)?
A sustainable society is one that protects the environment while fostering conditions that promote the mental and physical well-being of all its members. In the building sector, this means creating structures that are energy-efficient, low-emission and healthy and comfortable. But can health and comfort be ensured while still ensuring sustainable use of resources?
10/01/2025
Editorial team

Digital renovation transformation: unlocking efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration
Europe’s renovation of building stock, facilitated by digitalisation and paradigm shifts, can ensure sustainability, efficiency, and equity within ecological planetary boundaries. Estonian digitalisation initiatives streamline renovation processes by improving data accuracy and supporting renovation planning and decision-making, thus accelerating energy-efficient upgrades and aligning building stock transformation with broader European sustainability goals.
19/12/2024
Editorial team

Enhancing building energy performance with digital twin technologies: insights from the SmartWins project
SmartWins leverages digital twins to optimise building energy performance, integrate Life Cycle Assessments, and foster collaboration through research, education, and tools, advancing sustainability and carbon-neutral goals across Europe.
12/12/2024
Editorial team

Monitoring the energy performance of EU buildings: the European Building Stock Observatory
The 2024 BSO update provides granular data on residential and service buildings regarding their energy consumption, associated GHG emissions, activity in the building sector and socio-economic aspects. To address challenges in data availability and harmonisation, the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive asks Member States to set up national databases for the energy performance of buildings and to transfer information to the BSO annually. By supporting transparency and informing policy, the BSO aims to monitor energy performance trends and promote sustainable practices to achieve a zero-emission EU building stock by 2050.
03/12/2024
Editorial team

Can municipalities boost condominium renovations?
CondoReno examines effective ways for municipalities among other stakeholders to support energy renovations in condominiums. The roles, challenges, and potential of seven municipalities in the Netherlands and Flanders were analysed to explore how they can optimise business models for greater engagement in the early phases of energy renovations.
27/11/2024
Giorgia Signoretto

How EPCs are shaping new developments in line with the EPBD recast
The OneClickRENO (OCR) and iEPB projects aim to enhance building energy efficiency and EPBD implementation. OCR develops automatic building renovation passports, while iEPB creates a common data model that integrates different EPB assessments.
12/11/2024
Editorial team

Energy Performance Certificates: boosting the market for energy efficient buildings
As Europe moves towards a more sustainable future, energy performance ratings are becoming a key driver in transforming the real estate market. Central to this shift is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), a policy instrument that not only certifies a building's energy efficiency but also seeks to incentivise investment in greener properties. The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275) aims to improve comparability of EPCs across Member States, as well as making them more reliable and digitalised. However, Europe's diverse building stock and the varying energy policies of Member States present significant challenges to these goals.
05/11/2024
Editorial team

Overcoming the motivation and skills gap in the construction industry
This article presents early findings from the RES2 project, focusing on challenges within Italy's construction industry, particularly the lack of motivation and necessary skills among young professionals and women.
24/10/2024
Anna Moreno

Funding building renovations: tackling challenges in the EU's plan for energy decarbonisation
Buildings account for 36% of EU emissions. The EU aims to cut building emissions by 60% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, necessitating substantial investments. Initiatives like SHERLOCK align financial and technical skills to de-risk energy efficiency investments, essential for energy savings, economic growth, and job creation.
22/10/2024
Editorial team

Innovative simulation models for building performance and control
This article describes the process of BPS modelling, lessons learned, and best practices from the use case in SMARTeeSTORY.
18/10/2024
Canesia Amarysti