5th Project Meeting in Oslo, 9-10 April 2019

In consideration of the large dimension of the 4RinEU consortium, there is an important focus on the Communication strategy of the project, which is concretised in the Project Meeting. This strategic event takes place approximately every six months with the overall aim to establish a smooth and continuous internal communication and to ensure an effective hierarchical coordination, an asymmetric participation to the different project activities, and a clear division of responsibilities and tasks.

The 5th 4RinEU Project Meeting was held in Oslo (Norway), at the headquarters of the housing association Boligbygg, who provided our first project Demo-Case. Thirteen participants from 6 countries attended the meeting: from Italy, project coordinator Eurac Research and partners in Italy ADERMA, THERMICS and R2M; from Norway, partners SINTEF and BOLIGBYGG; from the Nederlands, partners TRECODOME and WOONZORG; from Spain, partners AIGUASOL, ACCIONA and AHC 3; from Germany partner GUMPP & MAIER and partner IES from UK. The project coordinator, Roberto Lollini, presented the results achieved in terms of technologies and methodologies as well as Demo-Cases implementation.

With a project’s result-oriented approach, each work package leader presented results, expected final output and strategy for market uptake of each robust technologies for deep renovation developed in the project:

• Prefab multifunctional façade, by partner GUMPP & MAIER
• Comfort ceiling fan smart operation, by Eurac Research
• Plug&Play Energy Hub, by partner THERMICS
• Early-RENo by Eurac Research
• Sensible Building Data Handler by partner IES
• Strategies for building components’ end-of-life, by partner ACCIONA

Some of the highlight of the technologies section included the distillation of a self-explanatory manual for a prefab multifunctional façade (1), including guidance about fire safety and anchoring. We hope that this manual will be part of our next coming news. It was also decided to develop a scheme for Early-RENo software (4) optimisation process, presenting the interface, four module (perhaps including irradiation) and their interactions. In addition, the Sensible Data Handler (5) will be developed into a virtual notebook for onsite activities (working also without internet).

In the same vein, during the session of usable methodologies for supporting stakeholders (investors, developers, designers, occupants) of deep renovation projects, all task leaders presented an update on task progression:

• Cost-optimal energy audit, by partner ADERMA
• Investor and building user-oriented design platform based on BIM, by partner IES
• Deep renovation implementation management, by partner ACCIONA

Still under the development, 4RinEU methodologies will provide and audit protocol (7), a project management platform (8) as well as a protocol for deep renovation.

Finally, and focusing on the replication potential (reliable business models), Eurac Research presented their results of building archetypes

• Cost effective rating system, by partner Sintef

Focusing on the demo-cases, and from the Norwegian Demo-Case, it was highlighted that the demo benefited from extensive use of BIM and from the collaborative and inclusive procurement procedure. Particularly the early procurement enabling risk sharing, strong commitment, as well as the chance to withdraw, was a success. The soon to stat the construction site for Dutch-Demo case and Spanish Demo-Case are expected to be opened early next year.

The 6th 4RinEU Project Meeting will take place next February 2020 in Amsterdam (Netherlands).