Welcome to our toolbox!
X-tendo and its toolbox introduce ten features of the next generation of energy performance certificates, to provide public authorities with improved compliance, reliability, usability and convergence of next-generation energy performance assessment and certification.
Toolbox
Innovative
energy performance
certificate indicator
Smart Readiness
Innovative EPC Indicator
Innovative EPC Indicator
Smart Readiness
Smart technologies in buildings have the potential to contribute to increasing the energy efficiency of the building stock, enhance the flexibility in smart energy grids, and improve comfort and health of building occupants. In order to increase the visibility and uptake of smart technologies in the European building stock, the introduction of a Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) for buildings is included as optional in the current recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). This indicator would allow to assess the level of smartness of a given building in a reliable and meaningful way for building owners, tenants and users.
A technical study, led by VITO and concluded in June 2020, investigates the scope, definition and calculation of the SRI, and performs a more detailed assessment of its potential impacts. X-tendo evaluates potential pathways to integrate the SRI assessment as an integrated part of the EPC.
ExploreInnovative
handling energy
performance
certificate data
EPC Databases
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Innovative Handling EPC Data
EPC Databases
An EPC database has different potential uses, such as data mining for country/sector reports, interoperability with other databases and publication of market-relevant information, to different stakeholders: building owners, construction companies, real estate actors, public authorities, etc. In this context, the quality assurance of the EPC databases can contribute significantly to improving trust in EPC data.
X-tendo develops routines for quality control of EPC databases and demonstrates how the analysis of these routines can contribute to improve the education process of energy auditors and consultants.
ExploreDistrict Energy
Innovative EPC Indicator
Innovative EPC Indicator
District Energy
X-tendo develops the capacity of EPCs to assess and report on the potential for the building to benefit from – or contribute to – future developments of district heating (DH) systems. This concerns the future decarbonisation of heat generation of DH systems, as well as the required transformation of DH towards 4th generation (smart, lower temperature) systems.
X-tendo elaborates and tests a methodology to integrate two sets of parameters into the EPC of a building: 1) primary energy, CO2-emission and renewable energy factors for the nearest DH system, and 2) two temperature parameters providing a first estimate of possible network characteristics for the connection of the building to a DH system.
ExploreOutdoor Air Pollution
Innovative EPC Indicator
Innovative EPC Indicator
Outdoor Air Pollution
Air pollution is one of the most important environmental risks to human health, and it is perceived as the second biggest environmental concern for Europeans after climate change. It has been estimated that 90% of population worldwide are breathing highly polluted air. The indoor and ambient air pollution are recognised as one of the risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Buildings both affect the quality of the outside air (pollutant emission) and the purity of the indoor air (air filtration).
X-tendo elaborates and tests a methodology for reporting on the buildings' contribution to air pollution as well as the air-filtration efficiency in ventilation systems. The methodology for estimating the Local Air Pollution Contributor Index is based on comparisons between pollutant emissions values from assessed buildings and from reference ones. In the methodology for determining the Indoor Air Purity Index, the actual quality of external air and efficiency of air filtration system is taken into account.
ExploreEnhanced Recommendations
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Enhanced Recommendations
Cost and time constraints often result in EPCs containing standardised and generic recommendations, which often only provide limited value to homeowners or buyers.
The X-tendo methodology for enhanced EPC recommendations will demonstrate a method to automatically generate useful EPC recommendations, extending those currently provided. Additionally, the methodology suggests how to integrate cost assessments to this approach and how to align the recommendations with the national long-term renovation strategies.
ExploreBuilding Logbook
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Building Logbook
Logbooks are dynamic repositories storing relevant building data beyond the EPC which enable better and more effective use of the data. They are a promising tool to overcoming current data gaps and data barriers among market participants. Logbooks have been developed in several jurisdictions but with diverse objectives and with varying links to the existing EPC framework. The availability of consistent and reliable data can contribute to the creation of innovative services and business models, reduced transaction costs and administrative burdens for the building owner, more effective policymaking, as well as supporting the construction value chain.
X-tendo identifies how EPC registers and systems at different stages of development can support the development of logbooks. It also explores how logbooks can support other innovative features, such as one-stop-shops and tailored recommendations. For the test projects, X-tendo trials three different logbook approaches with the objective to link the EPC data to other datasets and solutions:
- logbook as a data aggregator (Greece) through a webservice which is the backend to the logbook data exchange between the EPC registry, tax department and renovation financing programme
- logbook integrated in the existing one-stop-shop portal (Portugal) to provide new functionalities and services to building owners and market participants
- a dashboard (Estonia) bringing together the EPC data, real energy consumption data and an online application that support building owners to find information on potential renovation measures and energy savings.
Real Energy Consumption
Innovative EPC Indicator
Innovative EPC Indicator
Real Energy Consumption
Currently, EPCs are mostly based on calculation. The gap between real energy performance and EPC calculated performance can be significant and usually is a source of confusion to EPC users and other stakeholders (e.g., public authorities, energy managers, financing bodies, energy suppliers). In order to tackle this barrier and to increase trust in EPC, it is important to investigate how and to what extent measured data of energy use can be linked to the EPC calculated indicators or even replace them in existing EPC methodologies.
X-tendo elaborates and tests a methodology for a measured energy performance indicator that reflects the actual energy performance of the building at standard conditions of climate and use. The calculation tool is complemented by a report with options to process real energy use data to represent part or global energy performance that may be used in cases with limited amount or detail of information or in very complex buildings (e.g., malls, hospitals) where the theoretical approach would be time consuming and costly.
Explore
Comfort
Innovative EPC Indicator
Innovative EPC Indicator
Comfort
Adequate levels of indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics in buildings are among the most important benefits and drivers especially for renovation, as they lead to improved health and comfort of the occupants. However, they are not currently covered by EPCs: this indicator allows to assess the levels of comfort in terms of Indoor Environmental Quality for a given building through reliable and evidence-based inputs.
X-tendo develops an assessment approach for calculation of Asset and Operational comfort rating, that is tested in buildings, and consists of a simplified checklist of systems and materials, measurements of temperature, relative humidity and CO2-concentrations and survey of occupants’ perception on aspects such as thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort and acoustics.
ExploreOne Stop Shops
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Innovative Handling EPC Data
One Stop Shops
One-stop-shops are seen as key means to reduce barriers and transaction costs providing information such as available support schemes and services such as technical advice to homeowners, link to the marketplace, enhanced recommendations, among others. Obviously, these functionalities of one-stop-shops would highly benefit from being linked to EPCs.
X-tendo documents and describes approaches to set up or upgrade one-stop-shops and link EPC data into it to boost the energy renovation market.
ExploreFinancing Options
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Innovative Handling EPC Data
Financing Options
The provision of sources of information on financial support alongside with the EPC recommendations can help persuade building users to undertake a renovation. Financing options mainly focus on public support schemes like soft loans, subsidy schemes or also incentives provided by energy retailers in the frame of the energy saving obligations (Art 7 of the EED).
X-tendo describes possible approaches and mechanisms to link data on available financing with EPC systems and how to communicate this to building owners.
ExploreNews & Events
Advancing energy performance certificates to next generation: X-tendo gives a series of recommendations to integrate new features into EPC schemes
30/08/2022
This briefing is targeted at policymakers at EU and Member State level, public authorities (government or public advisory bodies at national, regional or local level) and institutions (e.g. national energy agencies, certification bodies) responsible for the design, implementation and management of EPCs. It is built on the main results of the X-tendo project and provides recommendations on how to take EPC schemes to the next level.
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The go-to resource for implementing and replicate the X-tendo innovative feature for the next generation EPCs
05/07/2022
This report brings together the outputs of the evaluation of the test projects alongside the insight from end-users and stakeholders. It includes estimations of the barriers and drivers for the wide uptake of the features, the effects of their wider implementation and the necessary next steps in order to implement them in the certification schemes around Europe.
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X-tendo and U-Cert final conference: the road to enhanced and future-proof energy performance certificates – Find the posters and material
05/07/2022
Find the material of the ~X-tendo and U-Cert final conference
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X-tendo publishes new guidelines to test innovative EPC features against relevant criteria
15/06/2022
New report from X-tendo presents the workflow followed to test the innovative EPC features against four cross-cutting criteria.
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X-tendo and U-Cert final conference: the road to enhanced and future-proof energy performance certificates – 6 July 2022
Brussles and online
31/05/2022
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, X-tendo and U-CERT are closing three years of commitments and achievements in the field of next generation building performance assessment and certification. Part of the Next Gen EPCs cluster (D^2EPC, E-DYCE, ePANACEA, EPC-RECAST, crossCert, EUBSuperHub, iBRoad2EPC, TIMEPAC) with other 9 projects and, and together […]
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Concrete implementation of new energy performance certificates features: testing and results in nine countries
07/04/2022
These reports provide the summary of the outcomes of the testing activities for each of the 10 features in one or several implementing countries.
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RT @H2020ePANACEA: 📢In case you missed yesterday's webinar – or would like to watch it again, you'll find it online 👉https://t.co/gmwvMxsW9…
RT @H2020ePANACEA: 📢In case you missed yesterday's webinar – or would like to watch it again, you'll find it online 👉https://t.co/gmwvMxsW9…
RT @H2020ePANACEA: 📢In case you missed yesterday's webinar – or would like to watch it again, you'll find it online 👉https://t.co/gmwvMxsW9…
Contact
Communications
Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE)
Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
T. +32 (0) 2 789 30 00
E. Roberta.DAngiolella@bpie.eu
W. bpie.eu
Project Coordinator
Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien)
Gusshausstraße 25-29/370-3, A-1040 Vienna
T. +43 (0) 1 58801 370351
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