EUB SuperHub - A harmonisation of KPIs for supporting the next generation of EPCs

For a base, the EUB SuperHub consortium initiated and conducted a CEN Workshop Agreement titled 'EUB SuperHub - A harmonisation of KPIs for supporting the next generation of EPCs'. This process resulted in a publication of the  CWA 18127: 2024 in 2024.

The EUB SuperHub CWA 18127 helped disseminating project results, align emerging technologies with market needs, facilitate interoperability, and enhance the impact and adoption of innovations by providing a recognised reference for industry and policymakers. The CWA 18127 is indeed a pre-standardisation document issued by CEN and represents a first try-out of the market for a possible future EN standard. The document can be adopted by all CEN members (34 national standardisation bodies in total), therefore representing an important exploitable result of the EUB SuperHuB project. The CWA 18127:2024 offers Member States a validated proposal for a harmonized set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that can support the adoption of the revised EPBD 2024. In line with the Directive’s broader scope, which extends beyond traditional energy performance to include aspects such as sustainability, smart readiness, and indoor environmental quality, the CWA provides a ready-to-use reference framework. By integrating indicators from existing EU initiatives such as Level(s), the SRI methodology, and relevant EN standards, the document enables national certification schemes to evolve towards more comprehensive and future-oriented Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), fostering greater consistency and comparability across the EU.

Figure 1 Cover of the CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 18127 (July 2024)

The usability of EUB SuperHub KPIs was tested and validated across Member States by partner country experts. This validation process allowed to evaluate the affordability and operativity of each indicator assuring its applicability in the context of the EUB SuperHub certification process.

EUB SuperHub platform

Buildings can be viewed and energy related KPIs assessed via the online Platform which supports the EUB SuperHub approach. In particular, the Planning and Verification Tool (PVT) module enables straightforward assessment of existing buildings' energy performance employing an archetype approach combined with advanced dynamic simulation standards. This outcome highlights the usability of the EUB SuperHub Platform in reinforcing the essential role of EPCs to support the achievement of the EU's 2030 and 2050 carbon neutrality targets for the building sector, making EPCs more standardised, accessible and affordable to stakeholders improving the reliability of the certification process.

The PVT energy simulations were based on the use of building archetypes. A validation study has been carried out to assess the accuracy of the Planning and Verification Tool (PVT). The primary objective of this study was to validate the outputs generated by PVT in comparison with results obtained from:

• the energy simulation tool DesignBuilder, which employs the EnergyPlus engine
• the EPC standard calculation
• the energy simulation platform TABULA-Felicity

The validation process involved assessing the energy performance of 7 selected buildings using the four tools (PVT, DesignBuilder, EPC, TABULA-Felicity) and comparing the deviations between their results. Statistical indicators were employed to quantify discrepancies and evaluate the reliability of PVT’s predictions.

Building archetypes are widely employed in energy simulation to represent the energy performance of a building stock without requiring detailed information on each individual structure. By clustering buildings with similar characteristics — such as construction period, occupancy type, geometry, thermal envelope properties, and HVAC systems — archetypes enable large-scale energy analysis while maintaining computational efficiency. These models were particularly useful for assessing the impact of energy efficiency measures, evaluating retrofit scenarios, and supporting policy development at urban, regional, or national levels. By leveraging on archetypes, researchers and policymakers we derived meaningful insights into energy consumption patterns, potential savings, and decarbonization strategies for the built environment. Building archetypes offer a simplified yet robust approach to analysing the energy performance of a building stock without the need for detailed data. By clustering buildings with similar construction characteristics, usage patterns, and energy performance, archetypes provide a representative model that facilitates large-scale energy simulations, policy-making, and decision support.

The findings of this study contributed to refining the accuracy and robustness of the EUB SuperHub platform PVT module as a decision-support tool for energy performance assessment. Furthermore, the results provide insights into the potential of integrating PVT within the EUB SuperHub platform for large-scale building stock analysis and energy policy implementation.

EUB SuperHub Digital Building Logbook schema

EUB SuperHub provided the Digital Building Logbook schema, with its 1,400+ records on storing potential information on (single) buildings covering 8 main categories (further fully detailed in 3 more layers of information on buildings): Administrative information, General Building Information, Building Element Information, Building Operation and Use, Building Performance, Smart Readiness, Finance, Building Documentation and BIM.  The project’s DBL aimed at facilitating the availability and flow of information and improve the overview of building stock, energy efficiency upgrades where applicable, data-informed decision-making and policy development, and ultimately, the monitoring of progress towards decarbonisation of the sector. The elaborated EUB SuperHub DBL acts as the digital container in which all input data calculating the passport rating in the domains mentioned above (EPC, sustainability, smartness) are documented and represent one essential feature within the planning and verification tool (PVT) module.

The creation of the EUB SuperHub DBL data structure involved an extensive review of relevant literature, including existing DBL data structures developed in previous EU projects (iBRoad, ALDREN, BIM4EEB, X-tendo) and the recommendations from the 'Study on the Development of an EU Framework for Buildings’ Digital Logbook', requirements specified in the grant agreement, existing EU legislation, and anticipated future legislation (e.g., the proposal for the EPBD recast published in December 2021).

The elaborated EUB SuperHub DBL data structure contains the following eight main categories:

1. Administrative Information
2. General Building Information
3. Building Element Information
4. Building Operation and Use
5. Building Performance
6. Smart Readiness
7. Finance
8. Building Documentation BIM

Figure 2 The main categories of EUB SuperHub digital building logbook

Out of the eight categories of the Digital Building Logbook, the largest one in terms of information volume is the specific building element information which covers the building envelope (which separates its interior from the outdoor environment such as outdoor walls, bottom floor, roof, windows/doors and skylights) and the technical building systems (including space heating, space cooling, domestic hot water preparation, ventilation, and built-in lighting systems, building automation and control system, energy generation and storage systems). The second largest category pertains to information regarding building performance and certificates across various metrics, such as energy, sustainability, and selected key performance indicators like lifecycle cost and global warming potential, indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and greenhouse gas emissions, among others.

Figure 3 An overview of main subcategories in Building Element Information category

Given that the European building sector still offers large savings potentials, the availability of reliable building-related data within the elaborated digital building logbook could contribute to an increased renovation rate of European buildings.

The EUB SuperHub certification process

The EUB SuperHub certification process is based on a third-party approach. This means that personal interests, commercial, financial or other pressures or relationships between those being assessed and those assessing, must be avoided to not compromise the impartiality of the whole process. The use of third-party verification allows to safeguard the impartiality of the certification process, together with detailed guidelines for the assessment and a quality control process. The third-party verification ensures that the review process is carry on by a professional (Auditor) not involved in the building procurement or linked to any of the parties involved in the building procurement (design, construction, suppliers, installation or maintenance) of the project being certified.

The EUB SuperHub certification process can take place in two versions: Basic and Advanced. The Advanced version foresees two levels of control (auditor + certification body) while the Basic only one (auditor).

The Advanced version can be applied to:

• public buildings
• large non-residential buildings (>=1000 m2 internal useful area)
• buildings funded through public funds and financial incentives

The Basic version is applied to:

• residential buildings
• small private non-residential buildings (<1000 m2 internal useful area)

The Advanced EUB SuperHub certification implies a more complex and expensive process (2 levels of control) but it guarantees a deeper verification of final outcomes. The activity of the Auditor (1st level) is monitored and validated by a Certification Body (2nd level). To overcome possible cost barriers and for a more agile process, the Basic version foresees only the activity of an Auditor. 

The EUB SuperHub certification process (both Basic and Advanced) is organised in three phases reflecting the main execution stages of a building project (Design, Construction/As Built, In Use):

• Design: phase where the design is refined and plans, specifications and estimates are created. All design information required to manufacture and construct the project are completed. In the Advanced version, the final output of this phase is the “EUB e-Passport - Design”. In the Basic version no certificate is issued at this stage.
• Construction / As Built: phase where the construction of the building takes place on the base of the construction documents. The building is concluded but not occupied by users. The final output of this phase in the “EUB e-Passport - As Built” for both Advanced and Basic versions.
• In Use: phase where the building is used, operated and maintained. The final output of this phase in the “EUB e-Passport - in Use” for both Advanced and Basic versions.

Conclusions

EUB SuperHub provided the certification process, a scalable methodology with 21 KPIs to utilize, an online platform to view, assess and monitor the buildings in their life cycle (in the design - as-built – in-use phases). The project’s outcomes provide stakeholders with accessible tools to visualize, assess, and systematically monitor buildings across all lifecycle phases facilitating the mainstreaming of energy performance in their projects. The integration of these results into the EUB SuperHub Platform positions the initiative as a reference point for future European certification frameworks, ensuring broader future adoption and interoperability across Member States, and effectively harmonizing and upgrading existing national EPC practices. Analysing the outcomes thus far, the project has generated significant impacts on diverse target groups. Practitioners, including architects, engineers, and building assessors, have experienced substantial improvements in professional competences, thanks to extensive training programs reaching over 500 participants across Europe. Policymakers and public authorities have benefited from a validated, comprehensive methodology aligned with the latest EU policy directives, aiding them in shaping informed and effective legislation in the perspective of the EPBD 2024 adoption.