SmarterEPC: the new hub to change building evaluation

The project to integrate SRI rating and energy certifications in one click just launched.

Since its launch several years ago, in Europe, the adoption of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for buildings of all types is progressing well. The reference to the EPC is the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) which lays down minimum requirements for the energy performance of new buildings and existing ones that are being renovated.

The EPB Directive establishes a methodology for calculating the integrated energy performance of buildings and introduces an energy performance certification for buildings. As each EU Member State has derived specific legislation and related procedures on what to measure and how to deliver the EPCs, this has created an uneven situation in Europe: comparing EPCs for similar buildings assessed by different assessors and in different countries might be challenging. 

Another assessment for buildings is the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), which is being tested in several EU Member States (e.g., France, Austria, Finland, and the Czech Republic), and is expected to be paramount in the building sector in the coming years. Based on that, professional assessors are called to start getting acquainted with the SRI concept and available methodologies under definition by each EU country.

SmarterEPC to solve EPC and SRI challenges

SmarterEPC is targeting both these challenges, by leveraging on the most innovative methodologies and tools available in Europe and derived by ambitious yet validated solutions. The project aims to give support and ready-to-use tools to professionals across Europe to facilitate and make consistent the assessment and rating of EPCs and SRI for any given building. This is mainly expected thanks to the SmarterEPC hub, designed to be open, user-friendly and within reach of all professional assessors, energy auditors, building managers, and specialists in the building sector.

The SmarterEPC project is co-funded by the LIFE Programme, a European funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The project kicked off officially in October 2023 and it is going to last until September 2026. 9 companies and associations formed the project consortium. These organizations come from 8 European countries – Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, and Romania – and they decided to change the field of energy certifications and smartness of buildings, to give concrete answers to the sector following EU standards, and a solid support to building owners and citizens who are not benefiting from these documents yet. 

What are the key goals of Smarter EPC:

• • For the first time in Europe, assessors can access a suite of EPC and SRI calculation tools available online in one place. These tools from other R&D projects, offer elaborations based on selected criteria and are aligned with national frameworks, EN standards, and the upcoming provisions of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast (end 2023/beginning 2024)

• • Hub’s functionality overview:
    

• • Visualization of the results: the integrated visualization of the EPC and SRI schemes is a helpful support for assessors to make data connections (e.g. between data on the energy efficiency of the building). The assessor is also facilitated when delivering results to the client (building owner/manager, facility manager. etc.). 

• • Develop common building inspection procedures, so that EPC and SRI assessment is more efficient since the on-site data collection phase. For example, EPC and SRI ratings can be considered complementary when it comes to measuring the energy performance of a building. Hence, by setting common procedures, the assessor can focus on the building domains foreseen by the EPC and SRI only once, for a qualitative and timely-efficient result.

• • Offer common training programs on EPC and SRI. Based on the results of the SmarterEPC hub, the assessors will benefit from training modules targeted to the different aspects of these novel EPC and SRI schemes.

Follow the activities of the consortium on the webpage and our social media channels!