ENvelope meSh aNd digitAl framework for building REnovation

Project Information

ENSNARE

Grant agreement ID: 958445

DOI

10.3030/958445

Project closed

EC signature date 16 December 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 31 July 2025

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Advanced manufacturing and processing

Total cost

€ 9 900 609,87

EU contribution

€ 7 993 640,51

Coordinated by

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ENSNARE (ENvelope meSh aNd digitAl framework for building REnovation)

Reporting period: 2024-02-01 to 2025-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The building sector is one of the main responsible of gas emissions and the climate change and, to overcome this, the EU has defined some ambitious targets of consumption reduction by means of the Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) concept. Despite new buildings, the renovation sector is the main actor to completely transform the sector.
Additionally, there’s not just one universal solution but a variety of alternatives and combinable technologies that, when properly designed and operated, can significantly contribute towards those ambitious goals.
The ENSNARE project aims to boost the market uptake of novel and highly efficient solutions for building renovation via a comprehensive methodology, tools, and technologies that intend to accelerate the current renovation rate in Europe. Focused on residential buildings, the project proposes two working environments that interconnect all building components: a physical environment, composed by an envelope mesh, and a digital environment supported by a platform. The mesh is fully modular and facilitates the assembly of all components and energy/data networks. The Platform supports stakeholders with a clear structure and access to a wide range of technologies for deep renovation of buildings.
The project’s main technical objective implies the development of those new frameworks and related solutions. The industrialized envelope mesh will provide the framework to incorporate adaptable multi-functional windows together with renewable energy-harvesting devices, also coupled to energy storage and generation components. Similarly, the digital platform will host the automated Data Acquisition Tool, the easy to-use Decision Support Tool and a Digital Twin.
By applying these to the project’s pilots in three real buildings and three virtual demos, the project aims to demonstrate the performance of the integrated NZEB renovation solutions.
The final goal is to boost the European industry of energy renovation solutions fostering the collaboration and enhancing communication to promote cooperation between stakeholders and, ultimately, to contribute to the necessary the digital transformation of the building industry.
In parallel, the innovative products, providing high insulation and solar technology for NZEBs will allow to reduce installation time by 60% and the cost of the process by 50%. The support of digital tools for data acquisition, early decision, design and manufacturing will be also contribute towards this objective. Additionally, the use and waste of material will be reduced up to 90% onsite thanks to the prefabrication and reusability at the end of life. Lastly, a reduction of 80% in fatal incidences at construction site is foreseen thanks to the change of onsite installation approach to a prefabricated and digital aided concept.

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

Summarized, main achievements towards the main objectives for M1-M37:
1) Specifications for the main working frameworks (digital and physical) have been defined. To support its design and optimal operation, ENSNARE System’s Specifications have been described (Milestone MS1) for the digital platform, the EDST and for modular façade:
- For the platform, structured in 6 different modules, relevant information was identified.
- For the EDST, alternative use cases were identified and further developed.
- For the modular façade, main characteristics of the components and the energy systems integrated were established by means of KPIs.
2) The first version of the Façade Prototypes was achieved (MS2):
- MAin elements were defined in its first version: envelope mesh, active window, and complementary layers. Were developed independently but designed to be assembled in an integrated solution.
- In parallel, active layers were developed, assessing substrates to laminate photovoltaic technologies and for solar thermal absorbers. Samples were tested at small scale level in this initial iteration.
- During the whole design and definition activities, the architectural projects for the pilots were also considered.
3) A first partially functional version of the platform was developed. MS3 “Design Oriented ENSNARE Platform Prototype”.
And afterward the platform’s components were further developed individually but also, considering their interoperability through the platform. Main components inside the platform are: 1) Early decision Support Tool (algorithms are ready and their integration into the tool is in progress), Data Acquisition tool (the tool is ready and it’s interoperability with the platform is in progress), Digital Twin (the DT are ready for the pilots and are prepared to get the monitored data of those once the full deployment of the systems are complete
4) The design project to renovate the three real pilot cases was completed (MS4). The first renovation design was then detailed, including all the necessary arrangements for the different stages (building preparation, manufacturing, installation, commissioning and hand over) and supporting guidelines for those stages have been developed.
5) The necessary ENSNARE components for the façade, were manufactured for the firs pilot (Tartu) and are currently being completed for the other two pilots (Sofia and Sassa Scalo). In all the pilots, the main technologies developed Solar Thermal, Photovoltaic, Hybrid and Smart window have been incorporated to the modules. 32 modules were produced and installed in Tartu, while 44 and 30 modules respectively for Sofia and Sassa Scalo are currently being produced.
The full completion of the three cases will imply the fulfillment of MS5 and the monitoring system will also be implemented to start the assessment of the post-renovated buildings.

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 envelope mesh is based in an industrialized and unitized concept and has a built-in design flexibility that can adapt the manufacturing process to suit a wide range of buildings. The rest of components of the system, are defined under a Design for Manufacturing (DfM) approach aiming to reduce manufacturing costs.
Complementarily, the digital platform and modules inside it, give the possibility to develop a model-based process to perform renovation projects. Starting from a basic model in the early stage, the model will increase in complexity and potentialities as the project develops, and ultimately will become a Digital Twin of the building to optimize its operation after the intervention.
This holistic approach combining components and software under a common environment will allow to demonstrate the potentiality of retrofitting plug & build solutions and tools to meet NZEB standards as well as demonstrating their suitability for mass production. This will also enable the access to more technological products as well as improving the knowledge around those.
Compared to current renovation processes ENSNARE will decrease retrofitting time to 60% and the cost of the process by 50%. The progresses made for the online data acquisition tool and matching kit interface are promising to achieve these time reduction objectives.
Finally, the benefits both environmentally and economically of these prefabricated and plug and play solutions are intended to be better quantified and demonstrated by means of improved Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards that conveniently represent the advantages achieved as, for example, the reduction of waste material generated onsite.

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