SolarOpt – Digital innovation for high-performance utility-scale solar thermal projects
Large solar thermal plants can play a key role in climate-neutral heat supply for district heating and industry. However, operation is often limited by a lack of reliable, standardised and investor-trusted tools for performance assessment, diagnostics, forecasting and optimisation. This leads to higher O&M effort, avoidable yield losses, more difficult integration into hybrid energy systems […]
SOPHIE – Spektrum-optimierte Photochemie zur Erweiterung von PVT bzw. PV-PEC Systemen für intelligente Energieproduktion
The demand for green hydrogen, which is currently less than 1 Mt/a, is expected to rise to up to 400 Mt/a by2050 (IEA Net Zero Scenario). To meet this demand for green fuels and, in the future, chemicals, widelyavailable raw materials are required. The direct use of sunlight in photochemical processes to producehydrogen, fuels, and […]
GEO.MAT – Efficiency increase of geothermal energy systems with heat pumps
Austrian thermal spas are energy‑intensive facilities: 60–70% of their heat demand is used to keep pool water warm. At the same time, geothermal thermal water is often discharged as splashing water at about 30°C without using its remaining energy. GEO.MAT targets this untapped potential and develops practical pathways for decarbonising thermal spas. The project plans, […]
CarbonZero4IMS – Energiewende im Quartier – CO2-freie Versorgung durch NutzerInnen-Integration und sektorenübergreifende Optimierung
The Inge Morath settlement in Graz comprises 108 residential units and 51 individual buildings (built between 2001 and 2009), spread over five homeowners’ associations (HOAs). Currently, 108 residential units in three HOAs are centrally supplied with room heat via three gas boiler heating centers. The heat is distributed as a low-temperature system via underfloor heating, […]
MARGRET Bioshade – Quantification of Shading and Cooling Performance Provided by Building-Integrated Greening
MARGRET Bioshade focuses on the scientifically robust quantification of the effects of building-integrated greening systems as a measure for climate change adaptation. Green roofs and façades can reduce urban heat island effects, positively influence the urban water balance, and decrease heat gains in buildings and the surrounding urban environment. Despite their growing relevance, reliable and […]
SaCANGO – Satellite based Canopy and Green Observation System
Urban green spaces and tree canopy cover are key elements of climate-resilient cities. With the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, cities and municipalities are for the first time required to monitor urban green spaces and tree canopy cover on a regular, comprehensive and standardised basis, including private areas. Existing survey methods, such as tree inventories, are […]
IEA EBC TCP ANNEX 91 OPEN BIM FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGS
The international research programme IEA EBC Annex 91 OPEN BIM addresses the systemic barriers to data exchange between digital building models and energy simulation tools. While Building Information Modelling (BIM) is well established in planning, the automated transfer of geometry-oriented models remains a key challenge. The research project aims to specify the Open BIM approach […]
INDHEAP – Optimal Solar Systems for Industrial Heat and Power
The energy demand of the industry accounts for 32% of the global total energy consumption. Three-quarters of this industrial energy demand is heat, which is still primarily generated from fossil resources. When examining the thermal energy systems of industrial plants more closely, steam or thermal oil systems are often found. The distribution temperatures are often […]
CEPA Connect – Connecting Energy Flexible Approaches in Progressive Adaptive Circular Renovation
CEPA-Connect is a research and demonstration project that advances a new generation of circular, energy-active building envelopes for the serial renovation method. Based on the CEPA-Energyfacade, the project develops a multifunctional façade system that integrates insulation, renewable energy components and an exterior building activation layer for heating and cooling. This active layer enables buildings to […]
SeRenoWood – Optimising Serial Renovation with Prefabricated Timber Elements Using Value Management
The building sector faces the challenge of meeting the high demand for energy-efficient renovation in order to achieve climate targets. The SeRenoWood research project directly addresses this challenge by developing pre-competitive industry standards for serial renovation using prefabricated timber elements—an approach designed to enable fast, cost-efficient and resource-saving refurbishment.Using the methodology of Value Management, requirements, […]