Eurach Research

Heart

EU H2020 Heart - Holistic Energy and Architectural Retrofit Toolkit

HEART is a multifunctional retrofit toolkit which integrates synergistically different subcomponents – ICT, BEMS, HVAC, BIPV and Envelope Technologies – to transform an existing building into a Smart Building.
Based on a whole-building performance approach, the toolkit is conceived to achieve extremely high levels of energy efficiency in the existing residential building stock, with particular reference to Central and Southern Europe, where climate change and energy transition have boosted electricity consumption peaks both during summer and winter seasons.
The system’s central core consists of a cloud-based computing platform, which concentrates operational logics to support decision-making in planning and construction as well as energy performance enhancement and monitoring during operation. The Toolkit provides energy saving, energy fluxes optimization, data exchange and stakeholders’ active involvement features.

HEART will tackle technical, economic and social aspects of energy retrofit by the specific objectives listed below:

OBJECTIVE 1 – To develop systemic and cost-optimal solutions for energy retrofit

The main objective of the project is to develop holistic and multifunctional solutions which offer a joint response to the different needs and problems characterizing the energy retrofit sector.

HEART will develop an original energy toolkit based on the synergistic interaction between building technologies and technical systems. This multifunctional toolkit will be structured to carry not only technical, but also decision-making, management and information features, with the aim of actively involving the different stakeholders (designer, financier, developers, end-users, etc.) in the renovation process.

OBJECTIVE 2 – To develop, update and adapt innovative technologies for their systemic integration

The HEART toolkit will systemically integrate different types of subcomponents - envelope technologies, HVAC, RES and BEMS - offering high levels of performance and communicating with each other.

Starting from the advanced market technologies developed by partners, HEART will improve their performance and make the necessary steps for their systemic integration.

OBJECTIVE 3 – To foster building’s smart upgrade

The developed solutions will enable to convert existing buildings into Smart Buildings, i.e. in interactive buildings characterized by dynamic and multidirectional flows of energy and information.

For this purpose, the Toolkit will develop a building automation solution with affordable cost and without intrusive works needed.

OBJECTIVE 4 – To promote energy efficient financing

As it is conceived, HEART reduces energy consumption, optimizes overall performance and, through a continuous monitoring, makes the building operation transparent. This aspect translates into an effective management of a retrofit intervention and a constant documentation of its performance. The platform allows to aggregate several buildings into single economic management clusters, compensating for the dispersion of interventions, which often constitutes a disincentive for financing parties.

Heart

Discover

See related experts, publications, and research topics.

Science Shots Eurac Research Newsletter

Get your monthly dose of our best science stories and upcoming events.

Choose language
Eurac Research logo

Eurac Research is a private research center based in Bolzano (South Tyrol) with researchers from a wide variety of scientific fields who come from all over the globe. Together, through scientific knowledge and research, they share the goal of shaping the future.

No Woman No Panel

What we do

Where we are

Eurac Research Headquarter

Viale Druso 1

39100 Bolzano

Italy

Get directions

Eurac Research NOI Techpark

Via A.-Volta

39100 Bolzano

Italy

Get directions
WORK WITH US

Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Follow us
  • Facebook icon
  • X icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Youtube icon
  • linkedin icon