Developing replicable and cost effective Nearly Zero-Energy' building solutions for small builders in Europe

Project Information

NZE Buildings

Grant agreement ID: 672942

DOI

10.3030/672942

Project closed

EC signature date 10 April 2015

Start date 1 May 2015

End date 31 October 2015

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

ECOXIA SAS
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NZE Buildings (Developing replicable and cost effective Nearly Zero-Energy' building solutions for small builders in Europe)

Reporting period: 2015-05-01 to 2015-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

ECOXIA is a start-up in the field of the green building industry.

ECOXIA has identified that most of European small builders (craftsmen, architects, small-sized property developers…) don’t have the technical knowledge and the budget to anticipate future 2020 regulations for Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB). Consequently, ECOXIA has developed the concept of the “Smart Building Envelope” (SBE) which is a solution that gathers the products and tools to build NZEB with guaranteed performance and cost controls.

In March 2015, ECOXIA was awarded as recipient of the SME Instrument Phase 1 of Horizon 2020 project from the European Commission (EC). As a winner of this competition, the EC provided a subsidy to ECOXIA in order to perform an opportunity study to develop the following project: “Developing replicable and cost effective Nearly Zero-Energy’ building solutions for small builders in Europe”.

The objectives of the project were to identify the relevant European markets where ECOXIA should start to commercialize the SBE and to define its most optimal technical configuration.

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

ECOXIA performed the following tasks during the 6 months of the project:

1. Identify the relevant markets in Europe
1.1. detailed European market analysis
1.2. housing construction price analysis
1.3. regulation analysis

Based on macroeconomic and building industry specific criteria, ECOXIA identified a short list of EU-28 countries where the company should focus. Then on these markets, ECOXIA led more detailed reviews on construction costs, regulation and market readiness for NZEB.

2. Technical solution analysis
2.1. sub-contractors market study
2.2. craftsmen market study
2.3. full life cycle analysis
2.4. house automation solutions development

Based on general tenders, interviews, market studies and product analysis, ECOXIA improved the technical proposition included in the SBE in order to make it more relevant for our future partners (subcontractors and customers). Improvements of the environmental footprint of the SBE were also performed.

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)

The more relevant markets to start to commercialize the Smart Building Envelope are France and United Kingdom, given the size of the markets and construction prices. Secondary markets are Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Even if Germany was not initially assessed as a priority market, there are also opportunities on this market.

The different reviews and analysis performed during the 6 months of the project has enabled ECOXIA to improve its go-to-market strategy in order to be ready to offer a solution that would enable any European small builders to build NZEB before the launch of the new 2020 European regulations. First steps will to be to build new prototypes in 2016 to prove to the market the quality of the SBE.

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