The EASEE project, which had its kick-off meeting in March, this year, aims to develop a tool-kit for energy efficient envelope retrofitting of existing multi-storey and multi-owner buildings. This tool-kit will make use of novel designs and assessment strategies, as well as, modular prefabricated elements, advanced insulating materials, and new scaffolding-free insulation approaches in order to reduce energy demand and minimize the impact on occupants whilst preserving the façade’s original appearance.

The project is directed, in particular, towards all residential buildings with cavity walls build before the 70’s. These buildings require façade retrofitting, for technical reasons, or insulation and energy efficiency improvements in order to reduce their energy demand. At the same time, the conservation of the building appearance is necessary.

EASEE will focus on the 3 main components of the envelope that influence the energy performance of the multi-storey building, namely, the outer façade, the cavity walls and the interior envelope, by developing innovative and easy to implement solutions.

The proposed approach will allow for an overall retrofitting cost over the whole life cycle and for a total cost of ownership up to 120€/m², allowing for a return on investment, in less than 7 years. EASEE will reduce overall retrofitting duration and optimise the worksite, in general, with direct benefits for the workers and the occupants, while creating new business opportunities worth 4B € in energy efficiency retrofitting of existing buildings by the 5^th year after the project completion. It also mobilises new cooperation schemes between LEs and local SMEs through licensing mechanisms.

To preliminary assess the realistic opportunity to apply EASEE solutions to the target buildings; we have considered as examples the four demo buildings that are foreseen to be retrofitted with the intended approach during the project. The buildings identified are:

• a 3 storey multi-owner building located in the centre of Gdańsk (Poland);
• a 6 storey multi-owner building located in the north-east of Madrid (Spain);
• a 8 storey social housing building located in Milan (Italy);
• a 5 storey multi-owner building located in Prague (Czech Republic).