PROFICIENT

SME network business model for collective self-organised processes in the construction and retrofit of energy-efficient residential districts

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'PROFICIENT aims to create large business opportunities for SMEs in the construction sector by exploiting the newly emerging process of Collective Self-Organised (CSO) housing for constructing and retrofitting energy-efficient residential districts. PROFICIENT responds to the EU-wide trend of self-organised housing process in order to boost the quality and the scale of energy-efficient buildings. Self-organised housing process --through which a group of homeowners carries out new construction and retrofitting projects on a district scale-- reflects a raising awareness towards sustainability and the increasing self-managing capability of European society. The project aim will be achieved through developing a new business model for a “SME network of product and service providers” which will realise value-chain integration in energy-efficient housing market. This business model will enable SMEs to operate, in flexible collaboration with the end-users, on multiple network levels across the EU to jointly develop and implement integrated solutions, and to provide the end-users with a greater certainty of total cost of ownership and lifecycle performance. PROFICIENT will also generate a new business plan for each SME player to implement the network business model. The focal point will be the business plan for local Energy Services Companies (ESCOs) to take the coordinating role in energy-efficient district projects. Project outcomes will empirically be validated through synergies with local and national projects, such as: eco-cohousing in the UK, energy-neutral districts in the Netherlands, and the sustainable refurbishment of high-rise residential building complexes in Hungary and the Czech Republic. Impact will be assured by the establishment of Communities of Practice (CoP), the cooperation with local Chambers of Commerce, and the synergies with the ongoing EU programme KIC InnoEnergy and European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) that contributes to the SET Plan.'

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The CSO housing process consists of end users on the demand side, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as the suppliers of products and services, and local government. Strong cost control is vital to this type of collective housing scheme; however, financial tools and business models for supporting energy efficiency differ across Europe. A holistic approach is needed to manage affordable and sustainable collective housing projects for the future.

To achieve this, the http://www.proficient-project.eu (PROFICIENT) project is facilitating CSO housing by bringing end users and SMEs together. This collaboration will help establish the best fit between the technology solutions and business models of SMEs and user demands for constructing and retrofitting sustainable dwellings and districts.

The project team is developing innovative SME network business models for new construction of energy-efficient residential districts and for energy-efficient district retro-fitting. These models are aimed at growing the SME supply chain capacity while enabling SMEs to cooperate throughout the EU. The networking will allow them to provide integrated solutions with cost estimate guarantees for end users.

Project members have designed financial and regulatory tools to create a CSO housing business environment that is conducive to SMEs. It is also setting up information and communications technology tools that will lead to the creation of a web collaboration platform. This online solution will bring end users and SMEs together, and will also support professional cooperation and networking amongst SMEs involved in CSO housing developments.

A series of workshops on energy efficiency brought together all stakeholders, and dissemination activities were carried out, including peer-reviewed articles and conference papers.

PROFICIENT is proposing solutions that will improve energy-efficient buildings while opening up new business horizons for SMEs. It envisions an optimal CSO housing practice made possible by end users' awareness and dedication to a sustainable residential setting.