PHOENIX · Project

Make Old Buildings Smart Without Ripping Out Existing Equipment

energyPilotedTRL 7

Imagine your office building is 20 years old and wastes energy like a leaky bucket — but tearing everything out and starting fresh would cost a fortune. PHOENIX built a plug-and-play kit of sensors, AI software, and cloud tools that bolt onto whatever heating, cooling, and lighting systems you already have, turning a "dumb" building into one that actively manages its own energy. Think of it like giving your old building a brain upgrade instead of a full body transplant. They tested it across 5 real buildings in Ireland, Greece, Sweden, and Spain to prove it works in different climates and setups.

By the numbers

Real-world pilot buildings validated across Europe

Consortium partners

Countries represented in consortium

SMEs in the consortium

86%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

Total project deliverables produced

European countries hosting pilot sites (IE, EL, SE, ES)

The business problem

What needed solving

Most commercial and public buildings in Europe are decades old, running on outdated heating, cooling, and lighting systems that waste energy and money. Full replacement is prohibitively expensive, and traditional smart building solutions require gutting the infrastructure. Building owners and managers need a way to make existing buildings intelligent without the massive capital expenditure of ripping out legacy equipment.

The solution

What was built

PHOENIX delivered a portfolio of IoT hardware upgrades, AI-powered data analytics, edge/cloud computing software, and energy optimization services — all designed to plug into existing building equipment. Across 26 deliverables, they produced proof-of-concept validation, deployed and operated pilots at 5 European sites, and completed final validation with measured performance metrics.

Audience

Who needs this

Property management companies with aging building portfoliosEnergy utilities running demand-response or grid flexibility programsSmart building IoT integrators looking for retrofit-compatible productsFacility managers at universities and public buildings with tight renovation budgetsESCOs (Energy Service Companies) seeking low-capex building upgrade solutions

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Commercial Real Estate

mid-size

Target: Property management companies operating older office or retail buildings

If you are a property manager struggling with rising energy bills in aging buildings — PHOENIX developed IoT sensor kits and AI-driven energy optimization software that plug into your existing HVAC and lighting systems. Validated across 5 pilot sites in 4 European countries, the solution increases building smartness without requiring full-scale equipment replacement, cutting retrofit costs while improving energy performance.

Energy Utilities

enterprise

Target: Electricity distributors and demand-response aggregators

If you are an energy utility looking to flatten demand peaks from commercial buildings — PHOENIX built load-shifting algorithms and data analytics services that turn existing buildings into active grid participants. With 5 validated European pilots, the platform enables demand-response programs using buildings' legacy equipment, giving you grid flexibility without requiring customers to buy new hardware.

Building Automation & IoT

SME

Target: Smart building technology integrators and IoT solution providers

If you are a building automation integrator looking for retrofit-friendly smart building products — PHOENIX created an adapt-and-play portfolio of edge/cloud computing tools and AI analytics designed specifically for legacy equipment. With 8 SMEs in the consortium and 86% industry participation, the technology was built for commercial exploitation and could expand your retrofit service offering.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to retrofit a building with PHOENIX technology?

The project budget is not available in the dataset, so specific per-building costs cannot be quoted. However, PHOENIX was explicitly designed as a 'cost-effective' alternative to full equipment replacement — the entire value proposition is adding sensors and software to existing systems rather than ripping and replacing. Contact the consortium for pilot-stage pricing data.

Has this been tested at real scale or just in a lab?

PHOENIX was validated in 5 real-world pilot buildings across 4 countries: Ireland, Greece, Sweden, and Spain. The final deliverable reports on achieved metrics and progress indicators from all pilots, confirming this moved well beyond laboratory conditions into operational buildings.

Who owns the IP and can I license this technology?

The consortium of 14 partners across 7 countries jointly developed the technology. With 8 SMEs and 12 industry partners (86% industry ratio), commercial exploitation was a core goal. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with specific consortium members depending on which components you need.

Does this work with my existing building management system?

That is exactly what PHOENIX was built for. The 'Adapt-and-Play' approach was designed to integrate with legacy equipment and existing building systems using IoT sensors and edge computing, without requiring you to replace what you already have. The 5 pilots validated this across different building types and systems.

How long does deployment take?

Based on available project data, the pilots moved from proof-of-concept at Universidad de Murcia to full deployment across all 5 sites over the project's 3-year timeline. Individual building deployment timelines are not specified in the public data but the phased approach suggests months rather than years per site.

Does this help with energy regulations and building efficiency ratings?

PHOENIX explicitly targets increasing the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) of existing buildings, which is an EU metric for building intelligence. Improving your SRI score positions your building favorably for current and upcoming EU energy efficiency regulations and green building certifications.

Is there ongoing technical support after installation?

The consortium includes 12 industry partners and 8 SMEs with commercial exploitation goals. Based on available project data, the platform includes both edge and cloud computing components, suggesting ongoing service delivery capability. Specific support terms would need to be arranged with the exploiting partners.

Consortium

Who built it

The PHOENIX consortium is heavily industry-driven with 12 out of 14 partners from industry and an 86% industry ratio — one of the strongest commercial orientations you'll see in an EU project. With 8 SMEs aboard, exploitation was clearly a priority from day one, not an afterthought. The partnership spans 7 countries (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Sweden), giving geographic diversity that strengthens the replicability claim. Universidad de Murcia leads as academic coordinator, but the real commercial muscle sits with the 12 industry partners who built and tested the solutions. This consortium composition signals technology that was designed for market, not just for publications.

UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIACoordinator · ES
LULEA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
ARDEN ENERGY LIMITEDparticipant · IE
ODIN SOLUTIONS SOCIEDAD LIMITADAparticipant · ES
MERIT CONSULTING HOUSEparticipant · BE
SUITE5 DATA INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS LIMITEDparticipant · CY
GIOUMPITEK MELETI SCHEDIASMOS YLOPOIISI KAI POLISI ERGON PLIROFORIKIS ETAIREIA PERIORISMENIS EFTHYNISparticipant · EL
SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT OESTERREICHparticipant · AT
VERNT MONOPROSOPI ANONYMI ETAIRIA AEIFORON PROIONTON KAI YPIRESIONparticipant · EL
MY ENERGIA ONER SLparticipant · ES
MOTOR OIL (HELLAS) DIILISTIRIA KORINTHOU A.E.participant · EL
MERIT CONSULTING HOUSE - OLOKRIROMENES SYMVOULEFTIKES IPIRESIES EPIXEIRISEON IDIOTIKI KEFALAIOUXIKI ETAIREIAparticipant · EL

How to reach the team

Universidad de Murcia (Spain) — look for the project coordinator via the university's research department or the PHOENIX project website contact page

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the PHOENIX team to discuss licensing or deployment? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right consortium partner for your needs.

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