ZERO PLUS

ACHIEVING NEAR ZERO AND POSITIVE ENERGY SETTLEMENTS IN EUROPE USING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

In ZERO-PLUS, a comprehensive, cost-effective system for Net Zero Energy (NZE) settlements will be developed and
implemented. The system will be composed of innovative solutions for the building envelope, for building energy generation and management, and for energy management at the settlement level. A reduction of operational energy usage to an average of 0-20 kWh/m2 per year (compared with the current average of 70-230 kWh/m2) will be achieved through a transition from single NZE buildings to NZE settlements, in which the energy loads and resources are optimally managed. A primary objective of the project will be to develop a system whose investment costs will be at least 16% lower than current
costs. In order to reduce "balance of system" costs, an approach of mass customization will be employed. Mass produced technologies will be integrated in a system that is optimally designed according to the local climate and site of each project in which it is implemented. To this end, a structured process will be developed and applied for the integration, optimization and verification of the design. The project's work programme will ensure a rapid market uptake, within its four-year scope, of the innovative solutions that will be developed. These solutions will be implemented in four different demonstration projects throughout the EU, with
varying climates and building types. The results of their implementation will be monitored, analyzed and disseminated. A comprehensive market analysis and business plan will support the commercial exploitation of the project's results. The project will be carried out by a consortium that includes universities, project owners, technology providers and organizations, which will closely collaborate in all the project's phases.
The role of University of Perugia corresponds to the integration at settlement level of all the technology productions and energy needs, by sprawling the boundary between the building scale and the neighborhood scale, which is the key contribution of this project at international level. Additionally, thanks to the effective construction of four settlement around Europe (in Italy, France, UK and Cyprus), the UNIPG group will also manage that design process, optimization and realization procedure, in order to take advantage of the initiative even at local scale. The project is coordinated by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and its participants are: the Technische Universität München, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the Oxford Brookes University, the The Cyprus Institute, the Technical University of Crete, ABB Italy, Anerdgy A.G., FIBRAN S.A., CONSORZIO ARCA, Eco Ltd., OPAC38, CONTEDIL di Ricco M. & C. S.A.S., George Vassiliou Ltd., Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, together with University of Perugia.

​This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 678407 (ZERO-PLUS).

SAFERUP!

SMART AND INNOVATIVE URBAN PAVING SYSTEMS FOR URBAN HEAT ISLAND MITIGATION

OBJECTIVES The SAFERUP! network is designed to achieve the following General Objectives: Train top-level researchers and professionals with high expertise in the fields of recycled, smart and durable paving materials, vulnerable users and road safety, pedestrians accessibility y and protection, water management and bioremediation systems, behaviour simulators and life cycle assessment tools, road geothermal energy, energy harvesting and self-sensing technologies. Increase the employability and help satisfying the rising demand for such qualified researchers and managers making them ready to join industries, companies, research centres, universities and local or national management institutions related to the SAFERUP! topics. Push forward the scientific frontiers of urban pavements design, construction and management to provide cities with more liveable environments and safer, more accessible and sustainable spaces for mobility. Consolidate and expand the network of collaborations among the partners through the creation of an integrated, long-term research and training base in the EU that brings together universities, research institutes, industrial companies and stakeholders active in key research, development and management disciplines. Enhance academia-industry Transfer of Knowledge in both directions and obtain full value from the network by disseminating results in open access peer-reviewed scientific journals, trade magazines and international conferences and developing innovative solutions for the urban pavements of the future.

INPATH TES

PhD on Innovation Pathways for TES

Following the EC SET-Plan Education and Training Roadmap, the concept of this project is to develop a joint PhD programme between universities and research centres, on the topic of Thermal Energy Storage (TES). The goal of INPATH-TES (funded under the framework of the Horizon 2020 european research and innovation workplan, “Call: H2020-LCE-2014-2, Topic: LCE-20-2014, Type of action: CSA) is to create a network of universities and research institutes to implement a joint PhD programme on TES technologies. The final result of such a network is to educate professionals on these technologies for the European research and industry institutions. The consortium includes 14 universities that will implement the joint PhD programme, two research institutions (AIT and PROMES-CNRS), three companies and two SME (Arcelik, Abengoa Solar NT, KIC InnoEnergy, UFP and LAIF), that will cooperate in defining the programme and in its implementation and deployment. The specific objectives of the project will lead to the qualification of professionals for the European research and industry institutions, bringing Europe to continue being leaders in these technologies. The partners in the proposal will be the core of a future larger network of excellent R&D institutions, and industries for co-funding and industrial placement, sharing infrastructure capacities, and enhancing mobility of students. The overall approach of the project involves a work plan divided in six work packages, being either coordination or support activities. Coordination activities: WP1 – Management and coordination; WP3 – Developing, maintaining and updating a PhD programme in TES; and WP4 – Implementation of the PhD programme in TES. Support activities: WP2 – External communication and dissemination; WP5 – Stakeholder involvement and extension of partnerships; and WP6 – Framework for monitoring and evaluation of INPATH-TES as well as IPR and regulatory issues.
​EAP Lab at University of Perugia
CIRIAF - Interuniversity research centre on pollution and environment Mauro Felli
Department of Engineering

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