Imagine wrapping an old house in a high-tech blanket made of plant-based insulation, smart windows that generate electricity, and built-in heating and cooling — all snapped together like LEGO panels on-site. That's what Surefit built: prefabricated wall and roof panels you bolt onto existing homes to slash energy use to near zero, without forcing residents to move out during renovation. They tested these kits on 5 real homes across Europe — from Finland's cold to Turkey's heat — proving the system works in wildly different climates. The panels come with everything integrated: insulation, solar panels, heat pumps, and smart controls, so one delivery replaces months of piecemeal contractor work.
By the numbers
5
Residential buildings retrofitted as live demonstrations across Europe
EUR 3,423,978
EU funding invested in developing and testing the retrofit system
12
Consortium partners across the value chain
9
European countries represented in the consortium
10
Physical technology demonstrators built and tested
32
Total project deliverables produced
8
SME partners involved in development and manufacturing
The business problem
What needed solving
Renovating old homes to meet modern energy standards is slow, expensive, and disruptive — tenants often need to move out for weeks or months while contractors tear apart walls and roofs. Traditional retrofit projects require coordinating dozens of separate trades (insulation, HVAC, solar, windows, controls), leading to cost overruns and inconsistent quality. Europe has millions of residential buildings that need energy upgrades to meet climate targets, but the current approach simply cannot scale fast enough.
The solution
What was built
The project built 10 physical technology demonstrators: prefabricated building envelope panels integrating bio-aerogel insulation and phase change materials, PV vacuum glazing window units, heat recovery units, solar thermal/PV hybrid units, evaporative cooling units, heat pumps, and smart control hardware with sensors. These were lab-tested and then installed on 5 real residential buildings across different European climates as live demonstrations.
Audience
Who needs this
Construction companies specializing in residential energy renovationSocial housing authorities managing large aging building portfoliosInsulation and prefabricated panel manufacturers seeking next-gen productsEnergy service companies (ESCOs) offering building performance contractsReal estate developers upgrading existing residential assets for resale or rent
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Residential construction and renovation
mid-size
Target: Construction companies specializing in building renovation and energy retrofits
If you are a construction firm struggling with slow, expensive, and disruptive home energy retrofits — this project developed prefabricated panels integrating bio-aerogel insulation, solar PV, heat pumps, and smart controls that can be manufactured off-site and installed rapidly. Demonstrated on 5 buildings across 9 European countries, these kits dramatically reduce on-site work time and occupant disruption compared to traditional renovation. With 8 industry partners already in the consortium, supply chains for manufacturing are partially established.
Social and public housing
enterprise
Target: Housing associations and municipal housing authorities managing aging building stock
If you are a housing authority facing pressure to upgrade thousands of aging residential units to meet energy efficiency regulations — this project created a systematic, repeatable retrofit approach using prefabricated technology panels tested in 5 different European climates. The plug-and-play design means tenants do not need to relocate during renovation, solving one of the biggest barriers to large-scale social housing upgrades. The project also developed business models and decision-making tools specifically for public authorities and investors.
Building materials and insulation manufacturing
any
Target: Manufacturers of insulation panels, prefabricated building components, or smart building products
If you are a building materials manufacturer looking for next-generation products — this project produced 10 physical technology demonstrators including bio-aerogel panels, PCM (phase change material) panels, PV vacuum glazing units, and heat recovery units, all designed for prefabricated integration. With EUR 3,423,978 in EU funding and lab-tested results across 32 deliverables, the technologies are validated and ready for licensing or co-development. The consortium includes 8 SMEs already positioned in the supply chain.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What would it cost to implement these prefabricated retrofit panels?+
The project title emphasizes 'affordable retrofit' as a core goal, and the prefabrication approach is specifically designed to reduce installation labor and time costs compared to traditional renovation. Based on available project data, specific per-unit or per-square-meter pricing is not published in the objective or deliverable titles. Cost details would need to be discussed with the consortium.
Can these retrofit kits be manufactured and deployed at industrial scale?+
The project was designed with industrial scale in mind — 8 of the 12 consortium partners are industry companies, and 8 are SMEs positioned across the manufacturing supply chain. The prefabrication approach is inherently scalable since panels are produced in factories, not custom-built on-site. Demonstration across 5 buildings in different climates validated the approach under real-world conditions.
What is the IP situation — can we license these technologies?+
With 12 partners across 9 countries and 32 deliverables produced, IP is likely distributed across multiple consortium members. The bio-aerogel panels, PV vacuum glazing, and evaporative cooling units each have distinct technology owners. Licensing discussions would need to go through the coordinator, Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade in Portugal.
Do these solutions meet current EU energy regulations for buildings?+
The project explicitly targets 'near zero energy' performance for residential buildings, which aligns with the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requirements. The technologies were demonstrated in 5 buildings across different European climates, suggesting compliance testing across multiple regulatory environments. The project closed in February 2025, meaning results reflect current standards.
How quickly can these panels be installed compared to traditional renovation?+
The project specifically developed 'fast-track renovation' methods using prefabricated panels designed for 'rapid retrofit with minimal disruption to occupants.' Based on available project data, exact installation timeframes per building are not published in the objective, but the prefabrication approach eliminates most on-site construction time since panels arrive ready to mount.
Can these panels integrate with our existing building management systems?+
The project developed its own control hardware — defined as 'sensors and control devices' — and mentions 'advanced building energy management systems' as part of the monitoring and operation approach. Integration with third-party BMS would need to be confirmed with the consortium, but the open approach across 5 different demonstration buildings suggests adaptability.
Consortium
Who built it
The Surefit consortium is unusually industry-heavy for an EU project: 8 out of 12 partners (67%) are industry players, and 8 are SMEs — signaling that this was built to be commercialized, not just published. The 12 partners span 9 countries (Germany, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, UK), giving broad market access across different climate zones and building regulations. The coordinator, Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade from Portugal, is a research and quality certification institute — well-positioned to validate and certify the technologies for market entry. With only 2 universities in the mix, the balance tilts strongly toward product development and market readiness rather than academic exploration.
Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade (ISQ), Portugal — a leading European inspection and technology organization. Contact through the project website or ISQ's corporate channels.
Want an introduction to the Surefit team to discuss licensing, partnership, or pilot deployment of their prefabricated retrofit technologies? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right consortium partner for your needs.
