ProGETonE in a nutshell

The ProGETonE project  successfully ended in September 2022.

The project aimed at developing an integrated approach for the building sector, combining energy performance upgrades to nZEB with seismic strengthening solutions to face future earthquakes in seismic zones. The main distinctive sign of Pro-GET-onE solutions are the integration between deep energy renovation techniques (targeting 70% of energy savings) and seismic retrofitting actions aimed at solving construction and safety problems within nZE (nearly Zero Energy) retrofitting, focussing at the same time on users’ priorities and expectations.

This is achieved through a holistic and integrated set of technologies (GET system) that optimally manages the different requirements (energy, structural, functional) to achieve the highest performances in terms of:

       Energy requirements – by adding new prefab plug and play high energy performing envelopes and HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) ;

       Safety – by using appropriate external structures to increase the overall structural capacity of the building, while supporting the new envelope;

       Social sustainability – by increasing the real estate value of the buildings and the desirability of retrofit options by providing tailored and customized solutions for users, owners, and house managers, though minimum disturbance of inhabitants.

An important characteristic of the GET system is to be “BIM oriented”. The aim is to create a database of solutions that can be exploited for other case studies. Furthermore, the application of BIM in the field of refurbishment of existing buildings allows to intervene in the production process of components in off-site factories, in their delivery to the construction site and in the optimisation of on-site assembly procedures.

With the end of the project, we can see the results of such ambitious objectives in the demo building located in a student residence of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, as well as with a wide set of solutions (digital tools, technical products, strategy reports, business models and scientific publications) available through our project website.

These are the most relevant outputs and results of the project:

The GET system integrates 3 different technological solutions for buildings renovation, focusing on energy efficiency and seismic safety principles:

• • The Exoskeleton
  • Architectural façade components: GET System Abacus
  • Integrated HVAC façade components: TG-Box & TG-Beam

All the information regarding these solutions is described in the GET System section of the website.

ProGETonE considers the final user as a key decision maker during the whole renovation process. The renovation solutions can be combined in different ways to get tailor-made solutions focused on achieving high social acceptance. To facilitate the decision making, we have developed the GET.onE.app. This is a new User Interface application for complex BIM projects.

Combining three-dimensional and real-time visualisation technologies with a simple and user-friendly interface, the GET.onE.app tool supports owners and professionals to visualise and choose the most appropriate options from ProGETonE solutions, according to their needs, expectations, personal tastes and budget.

In the GET.onE.app section of our website you can find more information as well as the Windows and Mac installers. Link: https://app.progetone.eu/

Some of the most relevant strategy reports generated during the project duration are also publicly available. These are documents that have key knowledge and strategic analysis and that we consider useful to share amongst the scientific community.

Some of them are related to the Exploitation Strategy (e.g. “Exploitation plan of the GET system in the ESCO-Construction scenario”), or to the Energy assessment of the different solutions (e.g. “Report on the performance of applied measures by using smart meters”). Some others focus on the strategic assessment of available technologies (e.g. “State of the Art of deep energy renovation” and its equivalent report regarding seismic retrofit techniques, or the “Catalogue on Optimal Techniques and Components”).

These and other similar reports are available in the Download section of the website: https://www.progetone.eu/download/

During the last year of the project, we have delivered a webinar’s cycle to discuss about some of the most interesting topics around #buildings, #energyefficiency and #seismicstrengthening. These were short webinars (30 to 45 minutes) where 3 experts presented their insights on the topic and discussed during a final round-table.

Digital transformation of the building sector

Within this webinar we present different #decision-making tools, that can support end-users on the selection of their final renovation solutions -by visualizing them in a easy-to-use user interface-, or building designers on the best circular solution for their specific target -by evaluating in #realtime their degree of circularity. The digital transformation offers an opportunity to create new tools that will foster the design and construction of new zero emission buildings, which will enhance the decarbonisation of the building sector.

Barriers for broad deployment of deep renovation

Which are the usual obstacles that need to be tackled to facilitate the broad deployment of deep renovation in the building sector? How can we improve social engagement within deep energy renovation or circular renovation projects?

Pioneers’ role of public sector in holistic deep renovation

Which should be the role of the public sector regarding deep renovation of the building sector? How can they pave the way for next-generation renovation solutions? Which are the needs and requirements that could facilitate their pioneer’s role? In this webinar, the experts discussed around public procurement solutions, capacity building for public officers, deep renovation awareness raising for citizens.

Energy communities and  how to improve self-consumption

Do you know what energy communities are? Do you know that you can generate renewable energy in your building, and share it amongst your neighbours? In this webinar, experts gave us interesting insights about self-consumption strategies for the housing sector, energy generation, energy distribution and energy communities.

Improving safety in the housing sector

Buildings in Europe are not usually prepared to face major earthquakes. There is a strong need to improve buildings’ safety in this regard, thus saving lives. In this webinar we discussed about different available technologies and solutions to increase seismic strengthening at housing sector, with 3 important experts in the seismic renovation fields.

COVID’s effects on housing

Our first webinar was held when #Covid19 was one of the main concerns of our society. The Covid pandemic has highlighted the deficiency of households in terms of comfort and environmental health. In this #webinar, you will find interesting insights on how should be the transition to high indoor environmental quality households.

ProGETonE has been very active on sharing the generated knowledge during the project activities. We have been present in more than 35 events, including events organised  by the Consortium members (e.g. workshops and conferences) and participation at external events.

For the most relevant events organised by ProGETonE, the website includes the presentations of the different involved experts. For examples, those related to the “Building Envelopes Kits for Deep Renovation” (workshop in SP2021, Rome, 2021), “No Money for the Future” (conference, Barcelona, 2019), “Exploitation of Business Models for Deep Renovation” (workshop, Cagliary, 2019), “Symposium on Seismic improvement and energy neutral retrofitting” (conference, Groningen, 2019) and “Symposium on Energy, Seismic and Architectural retrofit practices” (conference, Bologna, 2018)

You can find these and other events and presentations at: https://www.progetone.eu/conferences/

Part of the R&D activities of ProGETonE have been published as scientific papers and technical articles in specialized magazine, books and published conference proceedings. For example: “Sustainability Journal”, “Technology, Engineering, Materials and Architecture”, “Energies”, “Energy and Buildings”, “Bull Earthquake Engineering”, “Encyclopaedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals”, etc.

Overall, the project has published more than 30 scientific publications, most of them in Open Access. You can find them in the “Downloads” section of the ProGETonE website: https://www.progetone.eu/download/