An integrated typology-based approach to guide the future development of European historic buildings towards a clean energy transition

Project Information

FuturHist

Grant agreement ID: 101138562

DOI

10.3030/101138562

EC signature date 15 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 3 896 051,25

EU contribution

€ 3 896 051,25

Coordinated by

ACCADEMIA EUROPEA DI BOLZANO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FuturHist (An integrated typology-based approach to guide the future development of European historic buildings towards a clean energy transition)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

FuturHist addresses the challenge of renovating Europe’s diverse historic building stock for the clean energy transition. The project ambition is to shift the focus from individual buildings to building typologies and future-proof them for clean energy transition. The project develops a typology-based approach; by identifying common building types, it creates standardized and replicable renovation solutions that respect heritage values while improving energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability.
FuturHist will:
- Develop and test innovative passive and active solutions (e.g. bio-based insulation, self-healing plasters, smart HVAC) in four real demo cases across Europe.
- Provide a digital toolkit to guide decision-makers in planning effective renovations.
- Engage heritage authorities and stakeholders to ensure acceptance and large-scale replication.
- Deliver training and open resources to support uptake and long-term impact.
- The project aims to boost renovation rates, reduce emissions, and make historic buildings part of Europe’s climate-neutral future.

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 first 18 months, the FuturHist consortium has made significant progress in several key areas:
Baseline Mapping: The project team gathered 150 questionnaire responses from stakeholder in 25 countries and analysed 27 retrofit projects to identify barriers and opportunities for energy renovation in historic buildings. A typology framework was established, defining nine building types and launching unified monitoring campaigns in demonstration sites across Spain, Poland, Sweden, and the UK.
Innovative Solutions: Over 170 conservation-compatible retrofit solutions for building envelopes were documented and assessed. New materials such as biochar-clay composites and prefabricated lime-based insulation panels are being developed and tested, showing promising results for energy efficiency and moisture management. Sustainable lime renders with self-healing properties and tailored window retrofit solutions were also advanced.
Active Systems and Guidelines: The project compiled a database of efficient heating, ventilation, and renewable energy systems suitable for historic buildings. Guidelines for integrating heat pumps and photovoltaic systems were created, targeting architects and building professionals.
Decision Support Toolkit: A multidimensional methodology and digital toolkit are being developed to help users identify building typologies, match compatible solutions, and evaluate retrofit options holistically. User journey interviews and stakeholder workshops have shaped the toolkit’s design, ensuring it meets real-world needs.
Demonstration and Replication: Early demonstration activities began ahead of schedule, including building surveys, monitoring system installation, and preliminary design of interventions. Workshops on replication and transferability have embedded these concepts throughout the project.

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)

Result 1.1 Multiscale identification of barriers. Two different tasks fed into this result. The first identifies the main barriers to the energy retrofit of historic buildings in Europe out of input from nearly 150 stakeholders in 25 different countries and deep interviews with 25 practitioners from the demo case countries. Regulatory and financial barriers dominated, but the deliverable gives also a very differentiated picture of a multitude of barrier dimensions, including awareness and mindset, technical, knowledge and skill as well as planning related ones. The second deliverable provides an in-depth analysis of the policy framework, pointing out a lack of integration between energy and heritage frameworks, inflexible regulatory interpretations, and insufficient guidance for reconciling performance targets with conservation objectives. These findings inform the need for a systematic planning process and attention to regional differences.