Platform to create business opportunities for SMEs in building sustainable dwellings and districts
The CSO housing process consists of end users on the demand side, SMEs as the suppliers of products and services, and local government. Strong cost control is vital to this type of collective housing scheme. However, financial tools and business models for supporting energy efficiency differ across Europe. A holistic approach is needed to manage affordable and sustainable collective housing projects for the future. To achieve this, the EU-funded PROFICIENT (SME network business model for collective self-organised processes in the construction and retrofit of energy-efficient residential districts) project facilitated CSO housing by bringing various stakeholders together. Focus was put on the needs of three main stakeholders in the CSO process: end users, SMEs and municipalities. As such, project partners developed a web-based CSO housing platform that offers information and tools for each stakeholder. An important feature is that it functions as a decision support tool. For end users, the CSO housing platform serves as a one-stop information portal on the development of a CSO housing project. The platform provides SMEs with support for all types of construction firms, businesses and entrepreneurs involved in the commercial CSO housing market. It addresses several issues related to design, construction, process support management, finance, energy technologies and/or periodic maintenance. The PROFICIENT team developed an optimised business model for CSO housing. This online tool offers municipalities information to support the development of their CSO housing projects. The three stakeholders can meet in a virtual marketplace, where demand and supply can be matched. The platform offers various functionalities to facilitate a successful interaction between them. Researchers also devised innovative SME network business models for new construction of energy-efficient residential districts and district retrofitting. PROFICIENT outcomes will improve energy-efficient buildings while opening up new business horizons for SMEs. It envisions an optimal CSO housing practice initiated by end users' awareness and dedication to sustainable residential settings.
Keywords
Collective self-organised housing, retrofitting, energy-efficient buildings, PROFICIENT, residential districts