Innovative methodology based in circular economy and artificial intelligence to foster the transition to Sustainable and very high eNergy performance bUildinGs at a cost optimal level

Project Information

SNUG

Grant agreement ID: 101123150

DOI

10.3030/101123150

EC signature date 25 September 2023

Start date 1 November 2023

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 6 708 858,75

EU contribution

€ 5 519 275,75

Coordinated by

INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO METALMECANICO, MUEBLE, MADERA, EMBALAJE Y AFINES-AIDIMME
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SNUG (Innovative methodology based in circular economy and artificial intelligence to foster the transition to Sustainable and very high eNergy performance bUildinGs at a cost optimal level)

Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Buildings account for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Europe. Throughout their construction, use, renovation, and demolition, they contribute to about 50% of extracted materials and over 35% of the EU’s total waste generation. Additionally, energy poverty is increasing as more Europeans struggle to afford essential energy, driven by rising costs and unemployment linked to the geopolitical context. Energy efficiency is thus seen as the most effective solution to combat energy poverty and mitigate the negative distributional impacts of pricing measures. Consequently, the EU has set ambitious building standards, aiming to transform all existing buildings into Zero-Energy Buildings (ZEBs) by 2050 to achieve a fully decarbonized building stock.
Moreover, the construction sector represents around 9% of the EU’s GDP and provides 18 million direct jobs. The EU’s internal market gives international partners access to over 500 million people and a GDP of EUR 13 trillion. This underscores the sector's significance in the European economy and the need to enhance supply autonomy and industrial leadership through new technologies, industrial alliances, and innovation ecosystems.
SNUG seeks to revolutionize the construction sector by developing sustainable insulation solutions that reduce energy consumption throughout buildings' lifespans, while embracing circular economy principles. In response to rising energy costs and energy poverty, SNUG also emphasizes accessibility and affordability. By reducing both operational and embodied emissions through tailored energy efficiency measures and low-carbon materials, SNUG’s methodology paves the way for a climate-neutral future where ZEB ratings become more achievable.
SNUG applies this innovative methodology to three real buildings with diverse characteristics, uses, and climates, helping planners of new buildings or retrofitting projects choose the most appropriate insulation materials, their combinations, and placements to maximize energy efficiency and minimize GHG emissions across the building's entire life cycle, all at an optimal cost. The demonstrators are:
• A new housing construction in Norway,
• A refurbished residential building in Switzerland,
• A refurbished office in an industrial building in Spain.
This methodology is supported by:
• A Digital Tool Assistant using AI and virtual simulation to present multiple thermal insulation options based on predictions of energy demand, sustainability, safety, security, cost, and specific building features.
• Innovative, sustainable-by-design thermal insulation materials and lightweight prefab solutions ready for market deployment. These materials are based on Circular Economy principles and Smart/renewable materials, offering improved energy efficiency and sustainability compared to current market solutions, at competitive costs.
• An insulation materials database with technical and Life Cycle Assessment data. The database will be released as open data and will include both innovative thermal insulation solutions and current market options.
• A Digital Building Logbook that collects all building data in an interoperable format with BIM and the Digital Tool Assistant. This logbook aids decision-making and information sharing among construction sector stakeholders.

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

During the initial phase, SNUG focused on identifying the needs of end users by gathering data through online surveys and interviews with key stakeholders. This information was essential for establishing priorities and determining the technical, environmental, and economic requirements for the solutions to be developed, including both physical construction technologies and digital tools for industry professionals. Additionally, SNUG scaled various solutions from laboratory to pilot scale, considering waste material availability, pre-treatment needs, costs, and technical behavior factors for the desired applications. Prototypes of materials and construction solutions were developed, such as aerogels from construction and demolition waste (CDW) or Pureflex panels (renders/plasters, foams, in-blow), biopanels with bio-adhesives, and lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete blocks made from eco-friendly cements (geopolymers or cements with pozzolanic waste additives).
In the first phase, key metrics for technical, environmental, safety, social, and cost performance were identified. Feasibility studies were conducted to assess the scalability of these materials and solutions for industrial use, and plans for mock-up tests and Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) were initiated. Preliminary environmental parameter values were established and will be refined in later stages as industrial process data becomes available. For the self-levelling mortar with PCMs, an initial industrial formulation was developed to meet contractor deadlines. Future phases will refine this formulation by incorporating more sustainable cements developed within SNUG.
On the digital front, work began on creating a comprehensive database of materials commonly used for building envelopes, floors, and ceilings, focusing on those in countries like Spain, Norway, and Switzerland, where the demonstrators are located. This database is populated with data from Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and other public sources. The design of a user interface and digital tool architecture is underway, including methods for predicting energy consumption and environmental impacts. These tools will help select the best insulation materials and placement strategies, considering factors like location, orientation, building materials, design, usage, and user priorities.
For the final demonstrators, information on the buildings where the solutions will be installed has been collected. Plans detailing the implementation of solutions, including their location, references, and monitoring parameters, have been made. In the Norwegian new construction demonstrator, the self-levelling mortar with PCMs has already been applied, and monitoring has begun in the mock-up and demo phase.

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)

SNUG's main expected results are twofold:
On one hand, a Digital Tool Assistant (DTA) based on AI that will support architects and builders from the beginning of the project during the design phase. It will help select the best set of insulation materials, their disposition, or combination. The DTA will include different simulators and consider all objectives and optimization variables simultaneously, saving time by streamlining the design process and optimizing resources to meet energy requirements at the lowest cost and environmental impact. The tool will consider aspects such as geometric design, location, climate, regulations, specialist preferences, and restrictions, offering alternative designs with optimized decision criteria and reasonable trade-offs between solutions.
On the other hand, a set of insulating materials to reduce energy consumption in buildings will be developed, including:
• Autoclaved aerated eco-concrete blocks.
• Sustainable self-levelling mortars with PCM.
• Aerogel-based solutions (renders/plasters, foams, in-blowing).
• Biopanels (vegetal fibers with bio-adhesives), monolayers, and multilayers (protective mortar skin).
These results are still under development at TRL 5 (pilot scale). Metrics are still being improved to meet the established goals (KPIs).

SNUG Solutions Collage-1PPR