Summary

The BRITA in PuBs proposal on Eco-buildings aims to increase the market penetration of innovative and effective retrofit solutions to improve energy efficiency and implement renewables, with moderate additional costs.

In the first place, this will be realised by the exemplary retrofit of 9 demonstration public buildings in the four participating European regions (North, Central, South, East). By choosing public buildings of different types such as colleges, cultural centres, nursery homes, student houses, churches etc. for implementing the measures it will be easier to reach groups of differing age and social origin. Public buildings can be used as engines to heighten awareness and sensitise society on energy conservation.

Secondly, the research work packages will include the socio-economic research such as the identification of real project-planning needs and financing strategies, the assessment of design guidelines, the development of an internet-based knowledge tool on retrofit measures and case studies and a quality control-tool box to secure a good long-term performance of the building and the systems.

The third main pillar of the BRITA in PuBs project is dissemination. This is divided into a minor part, the training of users and maintenance personnel, and a larger section on publishing the research and demonstration work to different target groups. This will be done in a combination of targeted PR-campaigns and using local, national and international networks such as Energie Cités, the internet and other media, and arrangement and participation in symposia and conferences.

The project will be organised geographically by region and vertically by incorporating the owners of the public buildings, the research team of architects and engineers and the project dissemination networks. The project will be managed via biannual meetings, a steering committee and four subtasks on design, implementation, use and dissemination. A general assembly taking place at the meetings will decide on finance and project alterations, which are prepared for discussion by the steering committee.