An Open Innovation Ecosystem for exploitation of materials for building envelopes towards zero energy buildings

Building sector is responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions in the EU. As nZEB becomes the

new standard, the role of building materials and smart envelope systems is becoming more and more important.

Exploit4InnoMat OITB will make available a high-end Open Innovation Testbed network for building envelopes including roofs

and facades, enabling the replication of prototypes in different buildings taking into consideration the trade-offs between the

three sustainability pillars, the life cycle stages as well as their impacts.

End-User Market Needs for low-cost, flexible, on demand material-based solutions, which will be assessed through an

extensive partnership knowledge on materials characterization and modelling, monitoring and process control,

environmental and assessment, regulatory and standardization, social acceptance and innovation management, realizing for

nZEB solutions. In order to achieve this target a wide range of expertise has been brought to the OITB covering fields such

as Open Innovation Testbeds for nano enabled cement, non cement premixes and ceramics, advanced coatings and glazing

solutions loaded with aerogel, fibers, PCMs and other nanomaterials providing multifunctional properties; pilot lines for

nanodispersion, 3D printing and roboting spraying; as well as a network of four real scale living laboratories for nZEB

technologies evaluation, will facilitate a realization tool for developing close to market technological solutions. Additionally, a

semi-automated tool combining BIM analysis, fast track modelling and simulation will make enable a digital tool for utilizing

building blocks (structural, solar thermal and BIPV) in order to create a harmonized and aesthetically pleasing urban

environment.