4RinEU developed state-of-the-art renovation solutions designed to reduce a property’s energy consumption by up to 60 % while improving the building’s indoor environment.

Experience has shown that excellent research and successful demonstration of innovative solutions are not sufficient to ensure market uptake and broader outreach. This is even more true in the buildings sector, where solutions have to be tailored to specific national and regional markets and endorsed by professionals on the ground.

For this reason, 4RinEU has devised and implemented a dedicated strategy to increase the replication potential of the project’s solution. This strategy makes use of a Geocluster strategic network – to further test application and replication potential of the 4RinEU solutions across Europe. This network involves early adopters to supplement the demonstration cases already implemented in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Norway. These early adopters come with sample buildings to be renovated and work with the project consortium on feasibility studies to assess how 4RinEU solutions could be applied to the buildings.

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A geocluster strategic network is been set up to investigate the potential application of 4RinEU deep renovation approach in three different EU contexts, i.e. Latvia, also Hungary and Ireland.  In each country, an Early Adopter team made of local experts and stakeholders involved in the deep renovation process will draft a feasibility study on a sample building with the support of 4RinEU project partners.

At the end of January 2021, the first workshop with the new early adopter (Latvia, representing the North East geocluster) will take place, which is part of the North-East 4RinEU geocluster strategic network. The new early adopter partner is Ekubirojs, a social design Latvian NGO committed to building renovation. The aim of the first workshop will be the identification of the renovation priorities in Latvian market and consequent objectives for setting-up the best renovation packages, evaluating within those suggested by 4RinEU Project.

In such occasion, the methodology and tools developed within the 4RinEU project will be presented to the Latvian team, creating a feasibility study on a study case provided by the Latvian early adopter. The results, in terms of energy and comfort performances, coming from the application of 4RinEU solutions to the Latvian specific context will be further analysed and will be presented in the second and final workshop. Combined, these workshops will give the chance to share experiences and knowledge among involved partners, presenting and comparing theoretically the different renovation approaches in a specific context.

Photo credits: David Holt

After the first workshops held towards the end of 2019, 4RinEU partner Eurac Research met again (this time virtually) with the Early Adopters located in Poland and Ireland. The aim: discuss the results of the performance analysis of 4RinEU renovation packages in the local context and define the implementation on the Early Adopters’ Buildings in Poland and Ireland.

Eurac Research presented the main technical features of 4RinEU technologies and renovation packages in order to enable the stakeholders evaluate the feasibility of implementation in their local context. The performance analysis on the Early Adopters’ buildings, their features and specific requirements in case of renovation were also discussed. The results of the discussion will contribute to the definition of the two most interesting renovation packages to be tested within the feasibility study, that will be finalised in the following months and then presented in a third workshop.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

The scope of the Geocluster strategic network is to investigate the potential application of 4RinEU deep renovation approach in three different EU contexts (Poland, Hungary and Ireland).  In each country, an Early Adopter team made of local experts and stakeholders involved in the deep renovation process will draft a feasibility study on a sample building with the support of 4RinEU project partners.

In view to support the Early Adopters in the outlining and implementation of the feasibility study, three workshops will be organised:

• Workshop 1 – Set the strategy: to define the renovation packages to be tested in the Early Adopter buildings. During this first workshop, the partners will collect information to develop the parametric analysis and the evaluation of RES integration with Early Reno.
• Workshop 2 – Technical discussion with the stakeholders: to discuss the results of the parametric analysis and Early Reno and to define how to implement the selected renovation packages (e.g. how to supply and install the PMF, the ceiling fans, the energy hub, etc.).
• Workshop 3 – Presentation and performance assessment: to set-up the monitoring plan and the potential integration of the data handler.

At the end of November – beginning of December 2019 Eurac Research, with the support of TRECODOME, coordinated the first workshops in Ireland and Poland, which were hosted by the local Early Adopter Teams, respectively Limerick City Council and the Foundation for Lubelskie Development. The discussion focused on the features of the existing buildings and the specific constraints for renovation, as well as the main requirements of a standard renovation currently adopted in Ireland and Poland and the ambitions for a 4RinEU deep renovation. In particular, the working team highlighted the main renovation priorities and needs and the expectations of the local stakeholders.

Irish Early Adopter Team

The Limerick city council focused the activities on the building of the Chamber of Commerce located in the Georgian city centre. The construction is an historic building with architectural features common in the centre of the city. Therefore, adopting this building as a case study, although challenging, represents a strategic decision with a significant replication potential. In addition, the Limerick city centre is also involved in the H2020 Smart City project CityxChange, whose activities are focused on the decarbonisation of existing buildings through the reduction of energy consumption, the integration of renewable sources of energy and the set-up of smart energy grids.

During the workshop, Eurac Research devoted a particular attention to the presentation of 4RinEU deep renovation approach for historic buildings, one of the key results of the project to be applied for the feasibility study of the selected case. The Early Adopter team analysed the main constraints and renovation potential of the building and selected the results of 4RinEU which are most suitable for application. As a next step, the 4RinEU team will work on the definition of deep renovation solutions by adopting Early Reno for RES integration and by evaluating a set of applicable deep renovation packages while taking into consideration the historical value of the building.

Polish Early Adopter Team

The first workshop was hosted by the foundation for Lubelskie Development, located in Lublin. It involved the municipality of Wola Uhruska, that owns the selected case study, representatives from the local Energy Agency and local experts from the University of Lublin and from local private companies working on the field of energy renovation.

The building defined as case study is a three-storey construction with a mixed use and with a prefabricated concrete structure. Considering the building features, Eurac Research team and TRECODOME focused the overview of the project results on the prefabricated façade, Early Reno and the methodology for the definition of deep renovation packages.

During the discussion, the local experts highlighted the peculiarities of the existing building, both structural and operational, and discussed about the current minimum requirements foreseen in case of renovation. The Polish legislation requires quite ambitious targets in the current practice, and it will be strategic for the feasibility study to have a special focus on the economic viability of the solution, considering the availability of resources of the municipality. The Polish Early Adopter Team was very committed to work on the feasibility study, since it will be an occasion for knowledge sharing and for the definition of a deep renovation concept to be further replicated in the region.

In the next months we will organise the first workshop with the Hungarian team and we will proceed with the technical discussion with the stakeholders. In particular, we will work to fine-tune the initial renovation concept in Ireland and Poland, and to assess the performances of a set of possible variants to be discussed during the second workshops, planned for June 2020.

In addition to the 3 Demo-Case Working Groups in Norway, Spain and the Netherlands, the project team will work with 3 Geocluster Strategic Networks in Hungary, UK and Poland, ensuring the replicability of 4RinEU approach in the 6 EU geoclusters.

The Geocluster Strategic Network will support the elaboration of a feasibility study for implementing 4RinEU renovation packages in three buildings, coordinating the actors involved in the renovation chain, the so-called Early Adopter Teams. It includes developers, investors, designers, installers, building managers and owners dealing with the buildings selected for the renovation. It will work supported by 4RinEU project team within three thematic workshops starting in the last year of the project.

Each Early Adopter team is coordinated by a relevant institution, active on the territory and with a huge expertise in innovative approaches for building renovation and RES implementation. The three coordinators are now on board on 4RinEU team and will be a key support for the broad application of 4RinEU renovation approach.

BuroHappold Engineering – Coordinator of the UK EA Team
It is an international, multidisciplinary engineering consultancy operating in 24 locations worldwide, with over 50 partners and 1,800 staff. It has a 40-year experience, building the reputation for delivering creative, value led building and city solutions for an ever-changing world. With expertise in many specialist areas such as energy, people flow, transportation, fire, security and IT, building services, structural, and civil engineering, the company represents the perfect coordinator for facing the challenge of implementing 4RinEU renovation packages in UK.

ÉMI – Coordinator of the Hungary EA Team
ÉMI is a state-owned company participating in many areas of building energy field. ÉMI was the group leader of working out the National Energy Strategy for Building Sector in Hungary, and it was active the CONCERTO PIME’S (FP7) project providing demonstrations of advanced renovation measures, such as hybrid solar cells, heat pump based on treated sewage water or green facades and roofs. ÉMI is the Country Coordinator of Covenant of Mayors in Hungary and contributes to the preparation of SEAP (Sustainable Energy Action Plans) and SECAP (Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans). ÉMI’s expertise and political involvement are crucial for triggering the application of 4RinEU renovation approach in Hungary and in the rest of Continental West Geocluster.

The Foundation for Lubelskie Development – Coordinator of the Poland EA Team
The Foundation for Lubelskie Development, placed in Lublin, is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the region by promoting the development of entrepreneurship and the knowledge economy. It leads the Lublin Eco-Energy Cluster,  aimed at supporting the sustainable use of renewable energy sources exploiting the potential of the territory through the implementation of technological, production and management innovations. Moreover, it is the owner of the Business Incubator providing  services for new start-ups and SMEs in the field of renewable sources, energy efficiency, energy-saving buildings and IT technologies. It is a strategic partner for the implementation of 4RinEU in Northern-East Geocluster, and can foster the spread of the technologies and methodologies thanks to the close connections with SMEs and market.