Affordable and digital solutions to Build the next generatiON of smart EU buildings

Project Information

BuildON

Grant agreement ID: 101104141

DOI

10.3030/101104141

EC signature date 21 April 2023

Start date 1 May 2023

End date 31 October 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 6 737 905,00

EU contribution

€ 5 598 718,01

Coordinated by

FUNDACION CARTIF
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BuildON (Affordable and digital solutions to Build the next generatiON of smart EU buildings)

Reporting period: 2024-11-01 to 2025-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In a world increasingly focused on energy transition, the 2021 EPBD recast emphasised the pivotal role of buildings in achieving an integrated, renewable energy-based EU system. The urgency to digitalise and decarbonise, especially in light of the REPowerEU Plan, has never been clearer. In this context, the EU-funded BuildON project aims to create a scalable, and replicable solution for intelligent building services. This transformative Smart Transformer Toolbox at TRL8, will enhance energy performance across diverse building types and smart readiness levels. Users will be empowered with user-friendly tools to support this transformation to continuously Monitor, Assess, Predict and Optimise (MAPO services) building performance, and make better informed-decision on smart technologies. Through a Universal Building API, BuildON simplifies the intricacies of communication between heterogeneous systems, enabling real-time monitoring and control of energy devices while digital twins complement this vision by representing buildings and their systems, and offering advanced simulation and control capabilities. Thanks to this unified approach to interact with buildings, the overall goal is to accelerate the smart transformation of existing and new buildings.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

A brief summary of the progress performed in RP2 is presented below.
RP1 concluded in parallel with several important technical milestones, such as the delivery of the first technical release of the user empowerment tools (WP2, D2.3) the definition of the specifications for the BuildON Energy Management System and the corresponding interaction requirements, and the first validation of a subset of MAPO functionalities in a laboratory environment (D4.1). In addition, the preparation of pilots for the demonstration campaign was planned for M18 (WP6), as documented in D6.1. However, several installations had not yet been completed, either due to delays associated with the first Amendment request, which involved changes in multiple pilots, or because a feasible solution for the installation of second-life batteries had not yet been identified.
Following this initial stage, focused largely on context preparation as well as the conceptualisation, definition and early testing of the different components, technical work continued throughout RP2 to provide fully functional and demonstrable capabilities in the pilot buildings. The next major achievement was the First Technical release of the analytical services under the MAP categories (Monitor, Assess, Predict) and the Digital Twin applications for building performance simulation (WP4, D4.2) which enabled the achievement of MS8.
In parallel, progress was made on the Second Technical release of the IoT edge-cloud architecture components, with the aim of covering the remaining functionalities (WP3, D3.3 and D3.4). This was carried out together with the development of the First Technical release of the optimisation services (O-services) and the Digital Twin applications for building performance operation (WP5, D5.2). Together, these advances enabled the achievement of MS10, which meant that a first complete version of the Smart Transformer Toolbox technology was available.
The Communication and Dissemination activities completed in M25 led to the update of the Communication and Dissemination Plan, consolidating a solid strategy and defining the next steps for the upcoming period (WP8, D8.2). In terms of exploitation, the first version of the exploitation strategies and business models most suitable for market acceptance suffered a significant delay (six months), but were delivered in M27, enabling MS9 to be achieved (WP7, D7.1).
From a technical point of view, the last months of the period were devoted to completing the development of the MAP services (WP4, D4.3) together with the suite of tools designed to facilitate smartness enhancement and fostering improved interaction between individuals and smart assets (WP2, D2.4). With regard to demonstration, no significant milestones or deliverables were planned or produced during this period, but all technical activities were aligned with pilot needs, constraints and expectations. An implementation plan has been defined and will be carried out during the heating campaign, allowing for an initial assessment of the impact of BuildON solutions in real-life demonstrators along the next period.
To conclude, additional management activities were undertaken in parallel, such as the delivery of the final Project Management Plan, which incorporated the gender methodology developed within the framework of the project (WP1, D1.6).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

BuildON will offer innovative, affordable, user-friendly and accessible products and services to continuously monitor and improve energy performance of buildings. The steps followed during the first reporting period are the cornerstone to obtain the key exploitable results (KERs) of the project. The first identification and characterisation of the KERs has been covered during this period.
In terms of progress beyond the state of the art and impacts, the BuildON solution is composed of several subcomponents, to be delivered and implemented in pilots gradually, up to M33. Details of the main achievements so far can be consulted in Part B, while the connection between WPs, Scientific and Technical Objectives (STO) or Non-Technical Objectives (NTO), ambition and Expected Outcomes (EO) is shown below:
• WP2: STO1; ambition 1, 2, 4; EO1, EO2, EO3, EO4
• WP3: STO2; ambition 3, 5; EO1, EO2, EO3, EO4
• WP4: STO3, STO4, ambition 5, 6, 7; EO1, EO2, EO3, EO4
• WP5: STO3, STO5, ambition 5, 6, 8; EO1, EO2, EO3, EO4
• WP6: STO6; EO2, EO3, EO4
• WP7: NTO1, ambition 9; EO1, EO2, EO3, EO4
• WP8: NTO2; EO1, EO3, EO4