New approach to rapid transformation of the housing sector

The housing sector in Europe is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. To rapidly reduce the climate impact and reboot the economy after the pandemic, the EU has launched a renovation wave with the aim of at least doubling the number of energy renovations. This is where the DecarbonAIte project plays a role.

- Renovation of existing buildings is a critical measure to reduce emissions in the EU and improve energy efficiency. Unfortunately, the rate of renovation in Europe is currently low, and innovative solutions are needed to speed up this process," said Peter Berg, Project Manager at Innovatum Science Park.

Automates data collection

The DecarbonAIte project introduces a methodology that uses AI to automate the assessment of possible renovation measures in buildings. This reduces the uncertainties involved in the renovation process. The method is based on a comprehensive analysis of public data such as land surveys, energy declarations, cost databases and life cycle assessments (LCA) to optimize and select the most efficient renovation measures.

- This methodology allows us to evaluate different renovation solutions in terms of cost, energy and climate impact. The tool can work in real time and on a large scale, while also providing a digital twin to test different solutions digitally. It is a trinity, so if you change one parameter, you get the answers directly to the other two and do not have to recalculate each part; money, kilowatt hours and carbon dioxide load.

Tested at Uddevallahem

Andreas Skälegård, energy and installation coordinator at Uddevallahem, which is participating in the DecabonAIte project, believes that when the method becomes available in a user-friendly tool, it will facilitate decision-making.

- For example, the method can produce window measurements from public data and public images, such as Google Streetview. So in five years, when I get a quote for windows, if companies use these methods, they can give me quick feedback on price, energy savings and climate impact. It makes it more efficient on a larger scale, which means faster and easier decisions and we don't have to send people out on site," he says.

Win-win for climate and property owners

DecarbonAlte thus promises to be a milestone in the promotion of sustainable building renovation on a large scale, thereby contributing to the achievement of climate change objectives. At the same time, it will be of great benefit to real estate companies, who can streamline their work.

- The driving force is to increase understanding of our own building stock, but above all because this is the only way to deal with the EU's major renovation wave on a large scale. To cope with the scale involved, we need to move away from working 'piecemeal' with individual buildings and instead work quickly with entire blocks, portfolios or districts. We look forward to this type of service being developed and commercialized. We are committed to this because we see that it is something the industry as a whole can benefit from in the long term," says Andreas Skälegård.