Smart Buildings Workshop
Day 2 | Wednesday 28th October | 09.00 - 12.00

The building sector is one of the key enablers to achieve low carbon economy goals for 2050. To deliver this potential, buildings need to transform from passive isolated elements to smart buildings, able to adapt to occupants needs and act as active nodes well integrated to the energy grids and other infrastructures and networks. The 2018 revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has started to promote the use of ICT and smart technology in buildings. Smart technologies can indeed play an essential role and can also trigger new business opportunities.
However, the market uptake of ICT-based smart solutions has been slow in the construction and built environment sector, one of the largest energy consumers in Europe. The newly EU-funded SmartBuilt4EU project (Coordination and support Action – CSA*) will act to reverse this trend. It will bring together projects and initiatives related to Smart Buildings, so as to create and structure a European community facilitating the flow and exchange of information. It will also help accelerate the uptake of pioneering solutions in the smart buildings sector, by providing support to these projects (tools & training), by increasing the uptake of the SRI – Smart Readiness Indicator, and by providing a clear R&I roadmap on those topics.
This workshop presented the objectives of this new CSA, but also introduced other European projects and initiatives of the European Commission related to the digitalisation and “smartness” of buildings. Thus, the workshop was a first step in the creation of a cooperating and efficient community in Europe. Participants also exchanged their views on common topics, such as the comprehensive definition of what Smart Buildings are and the actual needs of the sector. Questions and comments from the audience were welcome.
*SmartBuilt4EU has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Grant Agreement N° 956936.
Participating European Commission representatives :
- Ilektra Papadaki, Policy officer for digital construction and sustainable built environment
- Sylvain Robert, European Commission EASME
Workshop Chair: Alexis David, ECTP, European Construction Technology Platform
Presentation files:
- “Opening and introduction” Alexis David, ECTP (PDF)
- “Sustainable built environment – a glimpse of the future” Sylvain Robert, European Commission, EASME (PDF)
- “Overview of EU actions in the field of digitalization of construction” Ilektra Papadaki, Eueopean Commission, DG GROW (PDF)
- “SmartBuilt4EU” Alain Zarli, ECTP (PDF)
- “InterConnect” David Rua, INESC TEC (PDF)
- “TABEDE” Emmanuel Onillon, CSEM (PDF)
- “PHOENIX” Antonio Skarmeta, University of Murcia (PDF)
Break