Imagine trying to put a modern energy-saving coat on a thousand different old houses, each built differently. Instead of treating every house as a unique puzzle, this work groups similar buildings into a few 'types'. Once a solution works for one type, it can be quickly copied across many other similar buildings without ruining their historic charm.
Renovating old buildings is currently too slow and expensive because every building is treated as a unique case. This prevents the large-scale rollout of energy-saving tech in historic city centers.
A digital toolkit for matching building types to solutions and a library of 170+ compatible retrofit materials and systems.
If you are a renovation firm dealing with the high cost of custom designs for old properties — this project developed a digital toolkit and 9 building types that allow you to apply standardized, replicable energy solutions.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with the need for breathable, heritage-safe insulation — this project developed biochar-clay composites and self-healing lime plasters that improve energy efficiency and moisture management.
If you are an installer dealing with the difficulty of fitting modern tech into old walls — this project developed specific guidelines for integrating heat pumps and photovoltaic systems into historic structures.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-reduction percentages are not provided; however, the project aims to boost renovation rates by using standardized rather than custom solutions.
Yes, the project focuses on creating a typology-based approach to move away from individual building fixes toward replicable solutions for 9 defined building types.
Based on available project data, the project provides open resources and a digital toolkit to support the uptake of results, though specific licensing terms are not listed.
The project partners with heritage authorities, ICOMOS, and INTBAU to ensure that the 170+ documented retrofit solutions respect conservation values.
The project runs from 2024-01-01 to 2027-12-31, with real-life testing currently active in four European countries.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 18 partners with a 28% industry ratio (5 industrial partners). The inclusion of 4 SMEs suggests a focus on agile implementation, while the presence of partners from 9 different countries ensures the solutions are validated across diverse climates and regulatory environments.
Contact the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (ACCADEMIA EUROPEA DI BOLZANO)
Contact us to get early access to the digital toolkit for historic building renovation.
