E-DYCE · Project

Dynamic Building Energy Certificates That Show Real Performance, Not Guesswork

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You know how a car's fuel consumption label never matches what you actually get on the road? Building energy labels have the same problem — they're based on static calculations that ignore weather, occupant behavior, and real conditions. E-DYCE built a system that continuously tracks how a building actually performs and updates its energy rating dynamically. They tested it on 39 buildings across 4 countries, covering 60,000 square meters, and the approach doesn't require upfront investment — it pays for itself through the energy savings it helps you achieve.

By the numbers

buildings validated across 4 countries

60,000 m²

heated area covered in pilot testing

1.8 GWh/year

energy savings from first year of implementation

370 GWh

cumulative energy savings target by 2028

50 million euros

projected cost savings by 2028

consortium partners across 5 countries

project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Building energy labels today are like a snapshot that never updates — they're calculated once using theoretical assumptions and quickly become inaccurate. This performance gap means building owners can't make informed decisions about renovations, energy contracts, or operational changes. The result is wasted money on the wrong upgrades and missed opportunities to cut energy costs through simple behavioral or passive measures.

The solution

What was built

E-DYCE developed a complete dynamic energy performance certification (DEPC) methodology, including a prediction engine, dynamic simulation tools, and an inspection/monitoring process. The system was validated in 39 real buildings across 5 locations in 4 countries. The project produced 18 deliverables covering the full certification pipeline from data collection to actionable renovation roadmaps.

Audience

Who needs this

Commercial real estate portfolio managers tracking ESG and energy complianceEnergy service companies (ESCOs) offering guaranteed savings contractsMunicipal governments managing public building stock energy efficiencyEnergy certification consultants and EPC assessors looking for better toolsFacility management companies responsible for multi-site building operations

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Commercial Real Estate

enterprise

Target: Property management companies and building portfolio owners

If you are a property management company dealing with the gap between your buildings' energy labels and their actual energy bills — this project developed a dynamic certification methodology validated across 39 buildings and 60,000 m² that replaces static labels with real-time performance tracking. It targets 1.8 GWh/year in energy savings and helps you prioritize renovations based on actual data rather than theoretical calculations.

Energy Services & ESCOs

mid-size

Target: Energy service companies offering performance contracts

If you are an ESCO struggling to guarantee energy savings because static building ratings don't reflect real consumption — this project built a prediction engine and dynamic simulation tools tested across 5 locations in 4 countries. The methodology maximizes free-running potential (passive heating/cooling) before relying on mechanical systems, giving you more reliable baselines for savings-sharing contracts.

Building Certification & Consulting

SME

Target: Energy auditors and EPC assessors

If you are an energy certification consultant facing client complaints that your ratings don't match reality — this project created a technology-neutral dynamic energy performance certification (DEPC) process compatible with existing EPC methods. It was validated on 39 buildings across residential and commercial typologies and requires no hardware investment from the building owner, using a savings-sharing revenue model instead.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this cost to implement in a building?

The project explicitly states that the process does not require investment from the user. Instead, it depends on sharing the energy savings for revenue streams — essentially a pay-from-savings model. Specific per-building costs are not detailed in the available data.

Can this scale to large building portfolios?

Yes. The methodology was validated across 39 buildings in 5 locations across 4 countries, covering 60,000 m² of heated area. It is designed to adapt to any building typology, climate, smartness level, and scale — from traditional buildings to smart homes. The project targets exceeding 370 GWh in savings by 2028 from scaling beyond the pilot.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

E-DYCE was an Innovation Action funded by the EU with 10 consortium partners. The methodology is designed to be compatible with existing EPC methods or function as a standalone process. Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not publicly detailed — interested parties should contact the consortium through SciTransfer.

Does this comply with current EU energy performance regulations?

The methodology is designed to be compatible with existing and emerging Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) methods across EU member states. It directly addresses the performance gap that current steady-state certification fails to capture, aligning with the EU's push toward more accurate building energy ratings under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

How long does it take to see results?

The project states it generates energy savings of 1.8 GWh/year from the first year of implementation. The dynamic certification process uses simulation resolutions from real-time to minutes, hours, or days, meaning actionable insights are available almost immediately after setup.

Does this work with our existing building management systems?

E-DYCE emphasizes data interoperability as a core feature and is described as technology-neutral. It can function alongside existing EPC methods or as a standalone dynamic labelling process, and adapts to any level of building smartness — from traditional buildings without smart systems to fully connected smart homes.

What kind of support is available for implementation?

The consortium includes 10 partners across 5 countries with 4 industry partners and 4 SMEs, led by Aalborg University in Denmark. Based on available project data, the project produced 18 deliverables including inspection and monitoring plans. The project ended in August 2023, so ongoing support would depend on consortium partners' continued activities.

Consortium

Who built it

The E-DYCE consortium brings together 10 partners from 5 countries (Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Switzerland), with a balanced mix of 4 industry players, 2 universities, 2 research organizations, and 2 other entities. Notably, 4 of the 10 partners are SMEs, giving the project strong commercial orientation — these are companies that need the results to work in practice, not just in theory. The project is led by Aalborg University in Denmark, a well-known institution in building energy research. The 40% industry ratio is healthy for an Innovation Action and suggests the methodology was developed with real market deployment in mind, not just academic publication.

AALBORG UNIVERSITETCoordinator · DK
CORE KENTRO KAINOTOMIAS AMKEparticipant · EL
AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILEparticipant · IT
NEOGRID TECHNOLOGIES APSparticipant · DK
POLITECNICO DI TORINOparticipant · IT
EMTECH GMBHparticipant · DE
ESTIA SAparticipant · CH

How to reach the team

Aalborg University, Denmark — contact via SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the project coordinator

Order a report on this consortium See AALBORG UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to implement dynamic energy certification in your building portfolio? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the E-DYCE team and help you evaluate fit for your specific buildings and climate zone.

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