On November 4 and 5, the in-person kick off meeting of the RenoVisor project took place. RenoVisor is an EU-funded project that aims to accelerate sustainable building upgrades and Europe’s broader decarbonisation goal by increasing the renovation rate.
Partners from across Europe gathered in Bilbao for the two-day kick-off event hosted by the University of Deusto and coordinated by Forschungszentrum Jülich, where they set the course for this ambitious collaboration. Over the next four years, the project will develop and pilot innovative digital tools to make energy-efficient building renovation easier, fairer and more accessible to all.
“This project will help increase the renovation rate by making it far easier for people to understand the benefits and tradeoffs of renovations” said Noah Pflugradt, project coordinator from FZJ.
To meet the EU’s ambitious climate and energy efficiency goals, the rate of building renovations must increase dramatically. However, many homeowners face barriers such as limited access to information, complex decision-making, and unclear financial benefits. RenoVisor addresses these challenges by designing three user-friendly tools - for single-family houses, multi-family co-owners, and energy communities - that combine advanced building simulations, behavioural insights, and participatory decision-making models. These tools will help users design tailored renovation pathways that consider technical, financial, and social aspects, while also supporting co-owned buildings through consensus-building features. Moreover, a special focus of the project is on energy and transport poverty, ensuring that vulnerable households can access affordable solutions that improve both energy efficiency and mobility.
RenoVisor tools will be tested in over 10,000 households across Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, allowing for real-world insights into diverse social and climatic contexts. By guiding users from awareness to action, the project aims to significantly boost the rate of successful renovation decisions.
During the kick-off meeting, partners worked together to align on the tools design, user engagement strategies, and pilot planning. Sessions included co-design workshops, task force planning, and discussions on challenges and requirements across the work packages. The consortium brings together leading research institutions, technology developers, and social innovation experts committed to advancing Europe’s inclusive, sustainable, and resilient building future.
“The last thing the world needs is another webtool by scientists that is usable only by scientists. We aim to do it better and bridge the gap between research and real-world application!” said Katharina Rieck, part of the coordination team from FZJ.