BUILDWISE

Their core work

BUILDWISE (formerly the Belgian Building Research Institute, BBRI) is Belgium's leading research centre for the construction sector, specializing in building energy performance regulation, envelope technologies, and digital transformation of the built environment. They provide technical expertise on EU building energy directives (EPBD), support national implementation of nearly-zero energy building (NZEB) standards, and operate as a bridge between policy frameworks and practical construction industry application. More recently, they have expanded into open innovation test beds for building materials and digital platforms such as BIM for the European construction ecosystem.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

BUILDWISE's early H2020 work (2015–2018) was firmly rooted in EU building energy policy — implementing the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, developing NZEB standards, and harmonizing energy performance certificates across member states. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward digitalization and materials innovation: BIM platforms, open-source data infrastructure, and open innovation test beds for building envelope materials. This evolution mirrors the broader construction sector's digital transition, with BUILDWISE positioning itself at the intersection of regulatory expertise and digital tools.

BUILDWISE is moving from pure policy support toward hands-on digital infrastructure and open innovation for the construction materials sector — expect them to seek partnerships combining data platforms with physical testing capabilities.

How they like to work

BUILDWISE operates exclusively as a participant, never as coordinator, suggesting they contribute specialized technical expertise rather than leading consortium management. With 160 unique partners across 33 countries from just 5 projects, they work in very large consortia — the Concerted Action projects alone span nearly all EU member states. This makes them a well-connected but non-leading partner: easy to work with, experienced in large multi-country collaborations, but unlikely to drive project design.

Despite only 5 projects, BUILDWISE has collaborated with 160 unique partners across 33 countries, largely due to the pan-European nature of the EPBD Concerted Actions. Their network is exceptionally broad geographically but built primarily through policy coordination rather than deep bilateral research ties.

What sets them apart

BUILDWISE combines deep regulatory knowledge of EU building energy directives with practical construction research capability and, increasingly, digital platform expertise — a rare triple combination. As Belgium's national building research institute, they bring member-state-level implementation experience to any consortium working on building performance or construction digitalization. Their dual footing in both policy (EPBD Concerted Actions) and innovation (open test beds, BIM platforms) makes them a credible partner for projects that need to bridge the gap between EU regulation and industry practice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CAV_EPBD
  Largest single funding (€729K) — the EU's core mechanism for coordinating building energy performance regulation across all member states, giving BUILDWISE direct access to every national authority.
• METABUILDING LABS
  Marks BUILDWISE's shift into open innovation test beds for building materials, combining physical testing infrastructure with digital platforms and open-source data — a long-running project through 2026.
• DigiPLACE
  A focused CSA that shaped the European digital construction platform strategy, positioning BUILDWISE in the BIM and construction digitalization policy space.