The InEExS project has recently facilitated key conversations around advancing energy efficiency in buildings through a series of workshops. These events served as platforms for stakeholders—including energy suppliers, service providers, policymakers, and municipal representatives—to converge and explore InEExS innovative solutions and address the potential for their replication across the pilot regions and beyond.
InEExS – DigiBUILD Replication Workshop: Bridging Theory and Practice
On February 4, 2025, the InEExS and DigiBUILD projects joined forces to host a replication workshop at GEK TERNA in Athens, Greece. The workshop was organised by the InEExS partner HERON and focused on the integration of energy-efficient building management with digital technology, smart meters, IoT solutions, and renewable energy sources.
Key discussions highlighted both the potential and the challenges in the sector. Participants identified barriers such as complex regulatory and procurement processes, a lack of technical expertise within municipalities, and difficulties in securing funding. The fragmentation of energy technologies and the absence of standardised communication protocols were also noted as hindrances to widespread adoption.
Financing emerged as a central concern, with high upfront costs limiting deployment. In response, models like Pay-for-Performance (P4P) and Energy Efficiency Obligation Schemes (EEOS) were discussed as potential mechanisms to alleviate this issue. The slow rollout of smart meters, particularly in Greece, was also identified as a bottleneck, limiting real-time energy optimisation and the deployment of dynamic pricing and flexibility services.
To overcome these challenges, the workshop emphasised the importance of pilot projects in municipal buildings to demonstrate feasibility and build confidence, as well as targeted training programmes to equip decision-makers with the necessary knowledge to implement smart energy solutions.
The workshop concluded with a call for strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving funding accessibility, and promoting technology standardisation to scale the InEExS Business Case Energy efficiency and flexibility services for legacy natural gas boilers. The potential of energy communities to support decentralised energy-sharing models was discussed, although existing national barriers need to be addressed.
InEExS-ENERGATE Replication Workshop: Connecting Innovation, Financing, and Policy to upscale building renovations in Greece
Building on these themes, the InEExS project collaborated with the ENERGATE project to host the second replication workshop on February 22, 2025, at the Verde.tec International Exhibition in Athens. This event that was organised by InEExS partner NTUA, focused on the implementation of energy efficiency upgrades in buildings through digital solutions, financing tools, and policy support.
Participants included stakeholders from public authorities, private companies, academia, and EU-funded initiatives. Discussions centered on bridging the gap between innovation and market application, with a spotlight on scalable and replicable tools for advancing building renovation and energy savings in Greece.
The workshop underscored the importance of digital platforms in connecting building owners, implementers, and financiers. ENERGATE presented its digital marketplace to streamline the investment process for energy-efficient building renovations.
The InEExS project presented its blockchain-based platform for trustworthy energy-saving data management, with a focus on the DOMX smart heating solution. The discussions emphasised the potential of these solutions to optimise energy use, enhance transparency, and provide verifiable data to support energy efficiency goals.
Within the framework of Greece’s Energy Efficiency Obligation Schemes (EEOS), the InEExS project contributes technically robust methodologies for the monitoring, verification, and crediting of energy savings—tools that are already being used by national authorities. This alignment underscores the broader imperative that research outcomes must actively inform policy development. The InEExS project was highlighted as a strong example of how EU-funded research can directly support policy design and real-world implementation.
Where next?
Both workshops reinforce the InEExS project’s commitment to driving the adoption of innovative energy efficiency services and solutions. The events highlighted the necessity of:
- Addressing regulatory and financial barriers
- Promoting technology standardisation
- Fostering collaboration among stakeholders
- Leveraging digital platforms to connect building owners, implementers, and financiers
In addition to the workshops in Greece, the InEExS project is running other replication workshops in other European countries. Ongoing discussions in Germany, Spain, and the Nordic countries are further contributing to the project’s mission of driving energy efficiency solutions across diverse contexts.
