Topic of the Month (May 2026)
Each month a relevant topic and several sub-topics are covered in detail. For the Topic of the Month, content following a common thread is developed by BUILD UP Editorial Board in collaboration with the Board of Ambassadors and other relevant experts in the field. This includes producing articles, case studies, webinars and more, all in line with the specific topic selected. Relevant events are also identified and highlighted.
Topics of the Month are announced at the end of the previous month in our website and newsletter. Please write us if you wish to know more about our upcoming topics of the month.
The Topic explores the shift from smart to human-centred buildings, placing occupants and their needs at the core. It highlights indoor environmental quality (IEQ), occupant behaviour and resilience, and examines how to bridge the gap between policy ambition and real-life performance under the EPBD.
- Policy framework and regulatory integration of IEQ under the EPBD
- Occupant behaviour and user interaction in building performance
- Balancing energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality
- Building operation, maintenance and performance gap
…and more!
- Heating and cooling, including at the district level
- Policy and regulatory developments at EU, national or regional levels
- Societal issue where these relate to the energy efficiency and renewable energy in buildings
- Training and education, capacity building and construction skills for improved energy performance in buildings
- User Experience and occupant behaviour
- Building Operation and Maintenance
- Indoor Environmental Quality
Showing 1 of 29 posts
HouseInc researchers investigated the root causes of housing marginalisation and identified scalable solutions that range from innovative financing models and community-led housing initiatives to energy efficiency retrofits and inclusive governance frameworks.
Publication
Revitalising forgotten spaces: EU-funded project SpaceUp takes off, turning vacant buildings and areas into beautiful, sustainable, inclusive communities.
News
eu.bac has published guidelines to support Member States in transposing the revised EPBD, outlining key provisions on building automation, indoor environmental quality and technical building systems.
Publication
The new Council Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus promotes an integrated approach to transforming the built environment by combining sustainability, inclusion and quality within European urban and territorial policies.
Publication
How can operational data help close the gap between designed performance and real occupant experience? The text explains how integrating energy and IEQ data is essential for human-centred buildings.
Technical Article
Residential retrofits are key to decarbonisation, but they may compromise health if indoor environmental quality is not integrated from the design stage.
Publication
The revision of the EPBD places indoor environmental quality and climate resilience at the centre of building design, opening up opportunities for passive solutions such as natural ventilation.
Publication
Indoor environmental quality in educational buildings is emerging as a critical factor for health and performance. Improving ventilation and thermal conditions can generate significant social and economic benefits.
Publication
Mechanical ventilation is emerging as a key element in meeting the EPBD, integrating energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
Publication
A document providing practitioners with an overview of the current status of national building codes regarding indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and energy performance, with a focus on how they address overheating and ventilative cooling in buildings.
Publication