The European tunES project to improve the energy performance of buildings.

The European tunES project, funded by the European Commission, aims to develop new policies to improve the implementation of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for buildings and to define a strategy for integration with the new Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), which measures the smartness of buildings.

This project involves seven national energy agencies from various EU member states, including ENEA for Italy, as well as several partners such as the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio and the German company Empirica, which coordinates the initiative.

Smart Readiness Indicator: Improving Energy Efficiency

Since 2018, the EU has introduced the SRI as an optional system for member states, aiming to evaluate the "readiness of buildings for smart applications." This assessment is based on examining the building's and property's ability to adapt its operations to the needs of occupants and the grid, while simultaneously improving energy efficiency and overall performance.

"A building is considered smart if it is efficient, consumes less, and manages systems intelligently through building automation systems. Additionally, it must have solutions for optimal thermal comfort management, infrastructures for self-consumption of locally produced energy, consumption monitoring systems, and it must interact flexibly with the electrical grid," explains Biagio Di Pietra, head of the ENEA Laboratory for Integrated Solutions for Energy Efficiency.

The tunES project is divided into five study areas, which include updating databases and calculation tools for indicators used in the EPC and potential harmonization between EPC and SRI. ENEA is one of the leaders in the project, thanks to its know-how acquired in implementing the EPC Information System (SIAPE) and its research experiences within the Electric System Research program.

The tunES Project Will Be Crucial for Building Energy Certification

"The tunES project, recently presented in Brussels during an event organized by ENEA, will be a crucial tool for sharing and spreading best practices in Building Energy Certification and the Smart Readiness Indicator, identifying the most appropriate policies through the involvement of sector stakeholders," continues Di Pietra. "We believe that integrating the SRI into the EPC will provide a more comprehensive view of our buildings," he concludes.

As part of the national Electric System Research program, ENEA has initiated several activities on the topic and, in collaboration with the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, has produced a report to assess the smartness potential of existing buildings, applying the SEI index to various case studies.

The recent revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) establishes that by June 30, 2027, the European Commission will mandate the application of the SRI for non-residential buildings with a nominal thermal power greater than 290 KW.