Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IncorporatEE (INCORPORATE sustainable structures for Energy Efficiency projects in Austrian Smart Cities)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-09-01 al 2025-02-28
The cities of Salzburg and Villach are "Pionierstädte” in the field of smart cities in Austria. They own many buildings and are responsible for their construction & operation and therefore the sustainable quality of these buildings. To reduce energy consumption in municipal buildings, both cities have developed strategies for their investment programmes. Through comprehensive refurbishment, switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources & energy monitoring. Increasingly complex requirements for existing buildings and ever-new technologies & methods in planning, construction & operation are also increasing the challenges for those responsible in the cities. With IncorporatEE, the two cities want to analyse the refurbishment process to see what adjustments are needed to ensure that sustainable refurbishment becomes standard practice. The basic idea is to focus on a performance-orientated refurbishment process from the start of the planning process to the operation of the building. This process includes the following elements:
• Development of innovative, performance-based and, above all, clear contracts and service profiles for planners.
• Development of a catalogue for the sustainable refurbishment of public buildings, specific to the requirements and specifications of the participating cities.
• Development of business models for energy communities for PV during roof renovation and other financing models.
• Training of relevant staff responsible for implementing energy performance in building renovation projects. The trainings will include relevant aspects of innovative methods - in the early project development phase, and from the planning phase until the operational phase - to define, decide and ensure the sustainable quality of these projects.
• Testing of new processes through the realisation of investments in comprehensive refurbishment, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with the new Performance-Based Renovation Package.
• The experience gained will be evaluated and the process revised. The cities of Salzburg and Villach will roll-out the new performance-based process for all renovation projects of their own buildings.
• Development of innovative, performance-based and, above all, clear contracts and service profiles for planners.
• Development of a catalogue for the sustainable refurbishment of public buildings, specific to the requirements and specifications of the participating cities.
• Development of business models for energy communities for PV during roof renovation and other financing models.
• Training of relevant staff responsible for implementing energy performance in building renovation projects. The trainings will include relevant aspects of innovative methods - in the early project development phase, and from the planning phase until the operational phase - to define, decide and ensure the sustainable quality of these projects.
• Testing of new processes through the realisation of investments in comprehensive refurbishment, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with the new Performance-Based Renovation Package.
• The experience gained will be evaluated and the process revised. The cities of Salzburg and Villach will roll-out the new performance-based process for all renovation projects of their own buildings.
The project started by analysing existing structures & tools in the cities of Salzburg & Villach and - based on these analyses - developing necessary elements of the Performance-Based-Renovation-Package:
• The draft for the adapted Financial Models contains (1) a guideline and possible solutions to solve barriers for sustainable refurbishment or investment in the decentralised use of renewable energy sources, (2) financing options for cities & municipalities, portfolio analysis and calculation of renovation budgets, the flexible use of budgets by considering life-cycle costs to further financing sources and outsourcing models and (3) framework conditions like legal requirements for award procedures, service law, and political issues.
• The Performance-Based Remuneration Models and Adapted Design Contracts for tailored Building Technology were addressed by describing existing fee models and their problems & weak points. Key elements of planning contracts to contractually secure energy efficiency and sustainability were presented. Common service specifications in the fields of architecture, building physics and HVAC design are supplemented to take energy efficiency and sustainability into account. A recommendation for demand-oriented dimensioning of heating and cooling systems was also provided.
• The developed standard Criteria Catalogue for Sustainable Refurbishment serves as a quality assurance tool for project participants during the entire planning and construction phase but also lists roles and responsibilities of involved parties. A comprehensive manual explains how to use the criteria catalogue. The evaluation of the criteria has shown that an integrated planning approach, which includes both a very good building envelope and the energy or supply system, is just as important as the consideration of investment AND operating costs, i.e. a life cycle cost approach.
• For the Quality Assurance Process from Design to Operation we analysed and discussed quality assurance tools to secure the high quality of the building shell, but also the quality of the HVAC systems. As a good performance of HVAC systems is crucial for a well operating building, we also focused on technical monitoring (enhanced commissioning) to ensure that both energy consumption & comfort are met as promised, and that the systems operate to achieve their planned lifespan.
For expanding know-how within the existing building construction departments, we recruited new staff in the cities of Salzburg and Villach. We started to develop tools to support the planning process and increase knowledge through training and project implementation. Recommendations were made as to what additional tasks, aspects and services could be implemented so that the project would certainly include more aspects of sustainability. We also provided an overview of various accompanying studies and engineering services that focus on energy efficiency & sustainability and facilitate decisions in favour of sustainable measures.
The above Performance-Based-Renovation-Package was tested in several real implementation test-bed projects. This trained the existing and new staff in the application of the new process, integrates the new elements into the existing processes, and shows were the process and tools need to be adapted for further implementation projects. Both cities are guided through the test-bed projects and already started to implement projects on their own.
Currently, we establish a comprehensive online training program with all new tools, methods and findings from the project, which will be available within the online training programs of the cities, but also for free on a separate training website.
The project was already presented to various stakeholders, but further dissemination will follow as the Performance-Based-Renovation-Package is set up and the online training program goes live.
• The draft for the adapted Financial Models contains (1) a guideline and possible solutions to solve barriers for sustainable refurbishment or investment in the decentralised use of renewable energy sources, (2) financing options for cities & municipalities, portfolio analysis and calculation of renovation budgets, the flexible use of budgets by considering life-cycle costs to further financing sources and outsourcing models and (3) framework conditions like legal requirements for award procedures, service law, and political issues.
• The Performance-Based Remuneration Models and Adapted Design Contracts for tailored Building Technology were addressed by describing existing fee models and their problems & weak points. Key elements of planning contracts to contractually secure energy efficiency and sustainability were presented. Common service specifications in the fields of architecture, building physics and HVAC design are supplemented to take energy efficiency and sustainability into account. A recommendation for demand-oriented dimensioning of heating and cooling systems was also provided.
• The developed standard Criteria Catalogue for Sustainable Refurbishment serves as a quality assurance tool for project participants during the entire planning and construction phase but also lists roles and responsibilities of involved parties. A comprehensive manual explains how to use the criteria catalogue. The evaluation of the criteria has shown that an integrated planning approach, which includes both a very good building envelope and the energy or supply system, is just as important as the consideration of investment AND operating costs, i.e. a life cycle cost approach.
• For the Quality Assurance Process from Design to Operation we analysed and discussed quality assurance tools to secure the high quality of the building shell, but also the quality of the HVAC systems. As a good performance of HVAC systems is crucial for a well operating building, we also focused on technical monitoring (enhanced commissioning) to ensure that both energy consumption & comfort are met as promised, and that the systems operate to achieve their planned lifespan.
For expanding know-how within the existing building construction departments, we recruited new staff in the cities of Salzburg and Villach. We started to develop tools to support the planning process and increase knowledge through training and project implementation. Recommendations were made as to what additional tasks, aspects and services could be implemented so that the project would certainly include more aspects of sustainability. We also provided an overview of various accompanying studies and engineering services that focus on energy efficiency & sustainability and facilitate decisions in favour of sustainable measures.
The above Performance-Based-Renovation-Package was tested in several real implementation test-bed projects. This trained the existing and new staff in the application of the new process, integrates the new elements into the existing processes, and shows were the process and tools need to be adapted for further implementation projects. Both cities are guided through the test-bed projects and already started to implement projects on their own.
Currently, we establish a comprehensive online training program with all new tools, methods and findings from the project, which will be available within the online training programs of the cities, but also for free on a separate training website.
The project was already presented to various stakeholders, but further dissemination will follow as the Performance-Based-Renovation-Package is set up and the online training program goes live.
The performance-based renovation package not only considerably reduces energy consumption in refurbished buildings, but also opens opportunities for renewable energy generation, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and contributing to the EUs sustainability goals.
IncorporatEE not only positively affects the municipal building renovation program, but also the design and concept of new buildings. Latest innovative ee-consulting studies and engineering services are used earlier in the design process than in standard renovation projects to maximise the impact of the performance-based renovation package. Therefore, the cities become role models not only for other cites but also for the citizens who use these buildings. IncorporatEE changes the mindset in city administration and the public.
At the end of the project, all new tools, methods and information will also be available online and free of charge in the form of an online training programme. This will enable other cities, as well as public and private building owners, to use this knowledge to adapt their own processes towards sustainable refurbishments & new buildings.
The goal of IncorporatEE is an investment program with a total value of around € 60 million Euro. Of this amount, around € 26 million is for energy-related measures with a leverage factor of 15.0 for every million of Horizon2020 invested in IncorporatEE.
IncorporatEE not only positively affects the municipal building renovation program, but also the design and concept of new buildings. Latest innovative ee-consulting studies and engineering services are used earlier in the design process than in standard renovation projects to maximise the impact of the performance-based renovation package. Therefore, the cities become role models not only for other cites but also for the citizens who use these buildings. IncorporatEE changes the mindset in city administration and the public.
At the end of the project, all new tools, methods and information will also be available online and free of charge in the form of an online training programme. This will enable other cities, as well as public and private building owners, to use this knowledge to adapt their own processes towards sustainable refurbishments & new buildings.
The goal of IncorporatEE is an investment program with a total value of around € 60 million Euro. Of this amount, around € 26 million is for energy-related measures with a leverage factor of 15.0 for every million of Horizon2020 invested in IncorporatEE.