D^2EPC : next generation dynamic digital Energy Performance Certificates

The building sector is one of the largest energy consumers in the EU responsible for approximately 40% of the final energy demand and 36% of CO₂ emissions, and subsequently has a significant role in the EC’s proposal for its energy saving goal. Indicatively, an estimated 97% of the EU’s building stock (close to 30 billion m²) is considered energy inefficient, while up to 75-85% of it will continue to be utilized in 2050. In this context, the EU has proposed a set of directives and policy tools towards phasing out inefficient buildings. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) comprise an essential part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), introduced in 2002 and revised in 2010 and in 2018.

Under this context and after three years of intense research activities, the Horizon 2020 D^2EPC project reached its end having successfully completed its vision: to set the grounds for the next generation dynamic Energy Performance Certificates.

Specifically, the D^2EPC digital platform that was designed and developed within the project, builds upon the digital twin concept to enable the issuance of next generation EPCs on a regular basis and is armored with additional services that enhance user’s perception and allow the provision of recommendations and customized suggestions for energy performance upgrades. The BIM-based Digital Twin constitutes a major software component in the D^2EPC architecture, providing data to all other components and services. The project introduced important technological advances concerning data and software quality and credibility, the transparency and availability of information on the actual energy performance of buildings and their smartness and enabled among others, the integration of human centric elements such as human comfort and indoor climate conditions.

In overall, the expected impact from D^2EPC is highlighted as following:

• Recalculation of the operational EPC with real-time performance data
• Integration with BIM models to accelerate EPC calculation and enhance data quality (BIM-based Digital Twin);
• SRI, LCA, financial and human comfort indicators;
• Additional services concerning the verification of credibility and quality of the assessment process, provision of recommendations and user-centred suggestions towards energy performance upgrade, forecasting of building operating conditions and notifications and alerts in case of inefficient operation to avoid the risk of performance downgrade;
• GIS environment visualisation;
• Novel financial schemes-“polluter pays” concept.

D^2EPC scheme has been validated and demonstrated under real-life conditions in six buildings including domestic, multifamily houses and tertiary buildings located in Greece, Germany and Cyprus.

One of the main achievements of the project related to the update of EU standards is the approval in CEN of the project for a new standard covering “Energy Performance of Buildings — Operational rating — Requirements for assessing Operational rating”. This project was approved by CEN/TC 371 “Energy Performance of Buildings” and will be developed in CEN/TC 371/WG 5 “Operational rating of energy performance of buildings”, which has UNE (Aitor Aragón) as Secretariat and FRC (Paris A. Fokaides) as convenor.

A number of interested handbooks developed by the project include the D^2EPC Manual for EPC assessors aiming to provide guidance for the implementation of the D^2EPC methodology as well as the D^2EPC Policy Brief presenting policy recommendations stemming from the outcomes of the project’s research and progress to address the identified challenges of the existing Energy Performance Certificates.

More information:

CORDIS project

https://www.d2epc.eu

https://www.linkedin.com/company/d2epc/

https://twitter.com/D2Epc

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCmI-GOfxCkMI6nx4X5baVQ