IREC

The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) is structured in two main areas: Energy Efficiency for Systems, Buildings and Communities (ECOS), which includes the Thermal Energy and Buildings Performance group (participant in this project), and Advanced Materials for Energy (M2E). The Thermal Energy and Building Performance group has wide expertise in dynamic energy simulation and the implementation of energy efficiency strategies - both passive and active solutions-, energy management, heat reuse and integration of renewables at different levels.

One of its research line is focused on building retrofitting and the analysis of the building stock at district scale. In the framework of the MARIE project, IREC has defined a new two-step approach to define cost-optimal solutions for the building stock in Catalonia. Funded by InnoEnergy, IREC has prepared the ”Residential Retrofits at District Level” report which contains proposals to implement different business models for large-scale retrofitting of the residential building stock in urban areas, including cost-optimal energy efficiency measures, as a means to unblock poor residential retrofitting rates in Southern European countries.

Along these lines, IREC Is currently developing various research tools. Such as: the LOCALISED project, which aims at transforming local data on possible decarbonisation pathways by 2030 and 2050 into knowledge for action; the platform Som Comunitat Energètica, that emphasizes the simulation of energy community scenarios; the PEDRERA project, which facilitates the engagement of multiple stakeholders in large-scale renovation actions to accelerate the urban transition towards Positive Energy Districts; and the initiative SYN.IKIA that provides the means to achieve and boost plus energy neighbourhoods, relying on the interplay between novel technologies, energy efficiency & flexibility of the buildings, good architectural & spatial qualities, housing affordability and citizen engagement.