ZEBAI is an integrative project involving interdisciplinary teams to develop a new methodology for designing zero-emissions buildings. For that, the project received a grant of €3,879,168.25 from the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme.
FI Group, as part of the project consortium, will lead the dissemination and communication activities, entrusted with a key role focused on promoting and sharing the results of the project.
FI Group’s role includes creating a detailed plan to promote the project’s outcomes through various channels like the website, social media, events, and press releases. FI Group is thrilled to be part of this initiative and to play a crucial role in the project therefore contributing to a more sustainable society.
The project, with Grant Agreement No 101138678, led by Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and comprising a consortium of 18 partners from 7 European countries (Belgium, France, Greece, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, and Ukraine), celebrated its kick-off meeting from the 22nd to the 24th of January 2024 in Madrid, Spain.
José Ignacio Blanco Cuesta (Senior expert in European projects within FI Group), who participated in the proposal writing, was also present and reported that the meeting focused on giving an overview of the project, setting shared goals and detailing tasks. Also, the partners highlighted the need to maximise the project’s impact and thus the crucial role set to be played by FI Group. During that meeting, FI Group also presented its strategic plan for targeted communication actions.
The project consortium is coordinated by the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (ES). Additional partners include The Chancellor, Masters And Scholars Of The University Of Oxford (UK), Egis Concept (FR), Lviv Polytechnic National University (UA), Smart Sustainable Social Innovations Single Member P.C. (EL), Deerns Nederland BV (NL), The University Of Birmingham (UK), Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (ES), European Institute for Innovation – Technology e.V. (DE), Neoeco Developpement (FR), Agencia de Vivienda y Rehabilitacion de Andalucia (ES), Technische Universiteit Delft (NL), Lurtis Rules Sl (ES), FI Group (BE), Stichting Amsterdam Institute For Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (NL), Architecture Meets Engineering SL (ES), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (UK), and Universidad de Alcalá (ES).
Aligned with Horizon Europe’s Cluster 5 for Energy, Climate and Mobility, the ZEBAI project approach is set to streamline the development of scalable Zero Energy Building (ZEB) designs suited for diverse climates, purposes, and architectural styles. This initiative aims to pave the way for a zero-emission building inventory by 2050.
Furthermore, the project will develop a database of well-characterised materials and assess the discrepancies between predicted and actual building performance. Artificial intelligence techniques will play a pivotal role in optimizing the selection of materials and systems across various facets of building design.
By integrating AI-assisted processes, the project aims to enhance the efficiency and user-friendliness of the design process, all while adhering to environmental quality and cost-effectiveness objectives.
With a budget of €95.5 billion for the period 2021-2027, Horizon Europe is currently the European Union’s main funding programme for research and innovation projects.
While supporting R&D&I and strengthening the European Research Area, the programme also aims to prevent climate change, contribute to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and boost Europe’s competitiveness and growth.
