Grant agreement no. IEE/11/847/SI2.615935

Full title of the project: Sustainable Energy for Rural Communities

Acronym of the project: Sustainco

Intelligent Energy – Europe (IEE) Key action: Final Technical Implementation Report (FR) - Publishable report

Period covered: from 04/04/12 to 03/04/15 Due date: 03/06/2015

Start date of the action: 04/04/12 Duration: 36 End date of the action: 03/04/15 Project coordinator:

Dr Julije Domac North West Croatia Regional Energy Agency, Andrije Zaje 10, 10 000 Zagreb jdomac@regea.org ; tel: +38513098315; fax: +38513098316

Project website:

http://www.sustainco.info

Table of Content Introduction to SUSTAINCO project ........................................................................................................ 3 1 What is nZEB? .................................................................................................................................. 4

1.1. General info on nZEB ............................................................................................................... 4 1.2. Target group feedback ............................................................................................................ 5 1.3. nZEB technical toolkit .............................................................................................................. 5 1.4. nZEB financial toolkit ............................................................................................................... 6 1.5. Basics steps in nZEB project development .............................................................................. 7 1.6. Barriers and challenges of nZEB .............................................................................................. 8

2 Case studies ..................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1. The purpose of the Case Study ................................................................................................ 9 2.2. Case Study Lessons learned ................................................................................................... 11

3 Pilot projects .................................................................................................................................. 12 4 Dissemination of the SUSTAINCO results ...................................................................................... 13 5 Frequently asked questions (FAQ) ................................................................................................ 14 6 SUSTAINCO Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 15

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Introduction to SUSTAINCO project Why SUSTAINCO project The SUSTAINCO project was launched to raise awareness of and support the development of nearly Zero-Energy Buildings projects (nZEB), with special emphasis on rural areas of the seven European countries participating in the project. The project aims to increase the visibility of front-runners, for both new-build and renovation, with the aim of capacity and confidence-building in the public sector. Through focusing on key results from EU project SERVE and other Intelligent Energy Europe projects (IEE), guidance on approaches, case studies and data to achieve cost effective nZEB solutions was highlighted. The building sector is one of the key sectors to achieve the 20/20/20 target of the EU, as it is accounting for an excessive 40% of the energy consumption in the EU. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD - 2002/91/EC) created the national institutional and regulatory framework for taking action on energy retrofit in most Member States. The EPBD recast (2010/31/EU) Article 9 requires that “Member States shall ensure that by 31 December 2020 all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings; and after 31 December 2018, new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings”. SUSTAINCO work programme:

Development of Toolkits which focus on technical and financial aspects of nZEB, in relation to energy efficiency and renewable energy usage;

Promotion of 40 Case Studies (front runner projects) with extensive details on nZEB aspects;

Capacity building for over 1.400 energy professionals - development and hosting of a capacity building event and training for project developers including conferences, seminars, training and site visits;

Selection of 8 high profile nZEB Pilot Projects which will be supported from project concept to the implementation process;

Support a further 50 nZEB projects which have already launched;

Dissemination of the CoM to more than 1.000.000 citizens in rural communities;

Creation of a specific promotional campaign toolkit, available via an internet web portal which highlights all relevant sustainable energy actions contributing to an nZEB development.

SUSTAINCO results:

Development of web based nZEB Toolkits (financial and technical);

nZEB Implementation in Rural Communities thought pilot projects;

Involving citizens of Rural Regions in Covenant of Mayors (CoM);

Strong educational and informative campaign for the public sector, for experts and for citizens. Project partners:

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1 What is nZEB?

1.1. General info on nZEB Legislation framework A nearly zero-energy building (nZEB) is defined in Article 2 of the EPBD recast (2010/31/EU) as a building that has a very high energy performance. The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby. SUSTAINCO nZEB approach How much energy the building can consume, which renewable energy sources are allowed and how close to the building the energy has to be generated is still discussed in the Member States and in the EU institutions. As definition of nZEB standard defers from partners country to country or region to region, SUSTAINCO general approach, when dealing with nZEB definition, for all partners was:

Max. primary energy 50 (100) kWh/m2/a;

Min. RES percentage of 50%;

Max. passive design strategies;

Ensure quality control before, during and after construction. Info regarding final nZEB status report Considering available data on nZEB status in seven countries participating in SUSTAINCO project, it could be concluded that only one of them (Spain) has not yet started the process of transformation of the national legislative framework for adoption of nZEB standard, but this is expected soon. The best progress in adoption of nZEB standard has been made in Austria, with adoption of OIB guideline (OIB Richtlinie 6, adopted in 2011) in all nine regions of the country The most of the countries including Croatia, Ireland, Romania and UK have implemented 20/20/20 target in their National action plans according to the EPBD Directive 2006/32/EC and have started working on implementing EPBD Directive 2010/32/EC requirements (defining the new methodology for energy audits and certification, the cost-optimality calculation by the end of 2012, the plans to increase the number of nZEB buildings). Although Norway is not one of the EU Member States, the Action plan for energy efficiency has been introduced by Government and nZEB standard should be in place in 2014 or 2015. Advantages of building an nZEB? New nZEB standard can only be achieved through comprehensive planning, diligent implementation of the required measures, efficient user behavior and regular maintenance of the building’s HVAC system. Some of the key advantages are:

Lower overall lifetime costs (investment and operating costs) than in standard buildings;

Low maintenance and operating costs;

Comfort and healthy living environment: o pleasant warmth in the winter, o prevented overheating of the building, o a sufficient supply of fresh air, o brighter rooms due to extensive use of daylight,

The building’s value increases long-term, and its resale value also increases;

A positive contribution towards climate protection for generations to come.

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1.2. Target group feedback In order to get the project target group feedback, the questionnaire was created for collecting the experiences and attitudes of local community representatives of municipalities and cities as key stakeholders in the planning of sustainable construction (investment, urban planning etc.). Getting feedback from the target group was crucial in steering the activities of the SUSTAINCO project such as creation of nZEB energy efficiency toolkit, case studies selection, training and capacity building and nZEB implementation in rural communities, in order to ensure concrete and measurable information. The testing was carried out in all project partners regions (eight in total) and the minimum sample per region was agreed to be 10 cities/municipalities which gives a minimum number of 80 fulfilled questionnaires. Same targeted group was tested three times based on the same questionnaire. Questionnaire consisted of three main groups of questions:

• Awareness of the SUSTAINCO project; • Knowledge on nZEB standard basics; • Interest / Participation in project activities.

The impact of SUSTAINCO project activities on day-to-day business activities on community level and impact on building and retrofitting to nZEB standards is satisfying. When it comes to knowledge on NZEB, targeted group show the high level of knowledge. After thee testing percentage of positive answers on nZEB questions raised from around 65% to 80%. There is still a need for strong educational/informing campaign beyond SUSTAINCO project that will certainly help to accomplish even higher level of knowledge related to nZEB standards. According to the results, target group showed an interest to attend workshops/seminars and to participate on study tours/site visits. The need for improvement on a community level regarding nZEB standards promotion was expressed, especially when it comes to best practice examples and establishing clear and ambitious energy goals on community level. Based on the results, targeted group confirmed the usefulness of Covenant of Mayors initiative.

1.3. nZEB technical toolkit The SUSTAINCO web-based technical toolkit (www.sustainco.info) was developed to serve as guide on how to achieve nZEB standard in retrofit or new-build houses. Toolkit structure includes:

NZEB – EU Standards & Definitions;

NZEB - National/regional Standards & Definitions;

Technical Aspects: o New Buildings (Fabric, Heating, Lighting, Ventilation etc), o Retrofitting (Fabric, Heating, Lighting, Ventilation etc), o RES-Heat: Current and emerging technologies relevant for low energy buildings, o RES-Electricity: Current and emerging technologies relevant for low energy buildings, o RES-Cooling/ventilation: Current and emerging technologies relevant for low energy

buildings,

Practical Aspects: o New Buildings: Passive Design Approaches, etc. o Retrofitting: Insulation Challenges, Heating Upgrades etc.

Technical Toolkit User Guide was developed to help navigate around the toolkits and find the related information for specific project.

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1.4. nZEB financial toolkit The SUSTAINCO web-based financial toolkit (www.sustainco.info) was developed to serve as guide on how to finance works and services as an evaluation of existing financial models. Toolkit structure includes:

Analysis of the status of implementation of ‘Cost Optimisation’ Approach in each partner region;

Analysis of available funding mechanisms in each partner region;

Compilation of available cost databases in each partner region e.g. SERVE project analysis of cost per measure ;

Development of range of cost models for new build and retrofitting. Financial Toolkit User Guide was developed to help navigate around the toolkits and find the related information for specific project.

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1.5. Basics steps in nZEB project development Planning a nZEB building A nearly zero-energy house combines very good insulation standards, a high-quality building envelope (no thermal bridges, airtightness) and active energy generation from renewable sources (solar, photovoltaic, ambient heat and biomass). Diligent planning which coordinates the individual implementation steps is a prerequisite for either building a nearly zero-energy building or for renovating to achieve a nZEB standard. Just like there is no single fixed construction type for nZEB buildings, there is no fixed set of equipment for heating, hot water supply or ventilation. Goal is to coordinate during the planning stage with all housing components (architectural, HVAC, electrical and other components) to keep energy consumption as low as possible. Energy gains through thermal solar or photovoltaic systems improve a building’s total final energy demand. This increases overall efficiency and the energy gains help meet nZEB requirements. Building envelope A large part of the heat in interior is lost through the building's external components (windows, walls, floor, roof). The thickness and quality of heat insulation has a decisive influence on a building's energy demand. The indicator of the insulating capacity or quality of a component is the U-value. The U-value, or heat transfer coefficient [W/ m2K], indicates how much heat is lost through the component. The lower a component's U-value, the better its heat insulation properties. The insulation of the building envelope's components should run seamlessly over all the individual components. Connection details must be carefully implemented to prevent construction defects. Materials employed should become gradually more vapor-permeable from the inside toward the outside. For some types of construction, for instance houses with slanted ceilings, this requires the installation of a vapor-retarder. The external walls, ceilings and floors should have U-value of approximately 0.15 W/m2K. Windows should have a U-value of maximum 1.0 W/m2K. This requires triple low-E glazing with a Ug-value of 0.8 W/ m2K. To achieve the highest possible solar gains, the overall energy transference coefficient or G-value should be between 50% and 60%. Heating, hot water supply and Ventilation Energy losses through the heating system can account for half of a building's total final energy demand. That makes it especially important to pay attention to a few basics for the planning phase. The following heating systems can cover the low heating demand of a nZEB house in a way that makes sense ecologically. Preferably used renewable sources are:

Biomass (woodchip or pellet boiler)

Geothermal (heat pump)

Solar (thermal collector)

District heating and hot water supply Sufficient fresh air is important for a high level of household comfort. A comfort ventilation system provides good room air quality all year round and heat recovery saves additional valuable heating energy. Pollutants and humidity are removed, which reduces the risk of mold. The basic prerequisite for the efficient operation of a ventilation system is an airtight building envelope. Active solar energy gains Energy gains through thermal solar or photovoltaic systems improve a building's total final energy demand. This increases overall efficiency and the energy gains help meet nZEB requirements. Besides building orientation Solar energy is always available for electricity or thermal power generation.

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1.6. Barriers and challenges of nZEB Construction/technical barriers The lack of coordination between architects, engineers and construction companies and the shortage of skilled professionals often lead to poor final performances and an uncertain knowledge of the final results until the end of the construction. It has been seen that all the design approaches and solutions to achieve proper thermal comfort, energy efficiency, IAQ, illumination, etc. have very strong connection between them and they must be faced under an integrated design approach by an entire design team at the very beginning of the project for enabling development for the most adequate and efficient solutions of nZEB and the cost optimality. Availability barriers The main barrier to the availability of systems and resources is the inability of the market to satisfy the increasing demand. A study performed by ECOFYS analyzed how much would the actual market need to grow in order to satisfy the demand in a scenario where all new buildings were built as nZEB. The highest necessary growth rates were attributed to ventilation systems with heat recovery and for triple glazed windows. The actual market would need to grow by a factor of 8-10 in the case of ventilation systems and for a factor greater than 10 in the case of triple glazed windows. For other components (insulation materials, heat pumps, pellet boilers, solar thermal systems) the gap between actual and necessary market is smaller and would only have to grow 2-3 times. Legal barriers In general terms, all Member States face similar challenges and opportunities, document “Towards nearly zero-energy buildings when it comes to defining nZEB standard. Definition of common principles under the EPBD recommends learning from each other by comparing definitions and strategies will create synergies, which do not only speed up the process but also increase the competitiveness of Europe in terms of nZEB building technology leadership. On the other hand, the presence of different regulatory requirements and standards in each country and the different level of transposition of the EU regulation to the national level make difficult to internationalize innovative products and advanced materials. Financial barriers Financial barriers (i.e. lack of funding or impossibility to secure finance on acceptable terms) are one of the most highlighted barriers. Technology and materials used for the implementation of nZEB are still too expensive to become attractive to clients, unless subsidies and public aids are applied. The financial crisis has affected all European countries and their lending markets, making consumers and financial institutions are less willing to take risks. The investment on energy saving measures is usually paid off in energy bills, but the long payback periods are a major barrier for investments, as both in households and most businesses the energy bills account for just a small percentage of total expenses. Human barriers The reticence among most of construction professionals and clients to adopt new technologies or/and energy efficiency standards in buildings is a major barrier and the perception of environmental responsibility as a burden is a major barriers that needs to be overcome with appropriate national/regional information campaigns. One of the most important barriers when retrofitting already existing building is the fact that ownership and responsibility may be unclear and it can be difficult to agree on an efficiency-upgrade when different owners or institutions have to approve a decision or make a financial contribution.

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2 Case studies

2.1. The purpose of the Case Study The impact, applicability, costs and time efforts associated to nZEB building standard was checked “on the ground” through project Case Studies. All details regarding the building technology used, architectural details, renewable sources used, energy consumption, investment cost and data analysis is published on the project website (www.sustainco.info) and available on all partners languages (http://www.sustainco.info/cms/uploads/sustaincooveralltable140729.xlsx) . Hausholds

Average overall results of Case Studies - households:

Investment cost: 1 226 €/m2

Primary energy need: 76,5 kWh/m2/a

Annually Heat Demand: 15 kWh/m2/a

Investment cost of RES: 124 €/m2

Annual RES generation: 63 000 kWh/a (86% coverage Primary energy need)

Net floor area (conditioned): 870 m2

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Public buildings

Average overall results of Case Studies – public buildings:

Investment cost: 1 277 €/m2

Primary energy need: 127 kWh/m2/a

Annually Heat Demand: 41 kWh/m2/a

Investment cost of RES: 82 €/m2

Annual RES generation: 49 000 kWh/a (16% coverage Primary energy need)

Net floor area (conditioned): 2 455 m2

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2.2. Case Study Lessons learned Cost optimum analysis was made based on inputs from all Case Studies. Of all analyzed, nZEB model resulted with lowest overall cost in comparison to standard way of construction (model 1 and 2) as well as passive design (represented with model 4). Active design (model 5) was also analyzed. As active design results are based on assuring the feed in tariffs for electricity production this model has limited applicability.

From the surveyed professionals’ personal experiences, the factor that helped the most in the implementation of nZEB was the motivation and commitment of clients and/or developers, and the difficulties that are usually faced are the high investment costs and the difficulty to find skilled professionals. Professionals from all counties agree that the construction of an nZEB involves extra costs, usually around 6-10% (depending on country/region). The renovation/retrofit of an existing building involves similar or even higher extra costs. The tasks that require more additional resources compared to a traditional project are the design process and finding skilled actors. The main bottle neck when installing renewable energy is budget, as well as the professional skills of installers. Key findings during analysis of Case Study are the lack of proper legislation, lack of incentives and promotional programs and lack of economic/financial resources as the main barriers for the implementation of nZEB on a large scale in all partner countries. The main gap when building nZEB building in the first-demand to end-use chain is the lack of coordination among the different actors involved. In many cases adjustments are required during or after the construction phase, in order to meet the expected energy requirements or due to quality controls. However, from most experts’ experience the finished nZEB buildings do perform as expected once completed.

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3 Pilot projects Pilot projects, with an integrated approach to energy efficiency and renewable energy actions, have been supported by SUSTAINCO. Twenty-eight promising NZEB implementation projects in rural community in each participating country/region has been identified and experiences and lessons learned from SERVE project have been used during support. SUSTAINCO supported the pilot project by ensuring the following:

Feasibility Studies: conceptual designs with a feasibility analysis have been made and financial options investigated. Public consultation, acceptance and support has be examined;

Mentoring Support: supporting the establishment of project management teams, regular meetings and reviews, technical analysis and project management. Mentoring included development of basic project conceptual design with feasibility analysis;

Monitoring: all pilot projects where tracked and the progress of the pilot project as it prepares for implementation and supporting the implementation phase was executed.

Some of the pilot projects, in construction phase, are shown in pastures:

Kindergarten Desinec, City of Jastrebarsko All supported pilot projects during SUSTAINCO project resulted with:

a) Investment potential: around 145 mil EUR b) Total heated area: 100 000 m2 c) Primary energy use: 10 000 MWh/a d) RES coverage: 77% e) Energy need from a fossil fuels: 2 300 MWh/a f) Primary energy need when implementing building standard – non nZEB: 20 000 MWh (RES 0%) g) Total energy savings: 17 700 MWh/a h) Greenhouse gas emission reduction:5 300 t/a

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4 Dissemination of the SUSTAINCO results Dissemination of the SUSTAINCO results is based on the data available on the project website (www.sustainco.info), produced marketing materials (Project leaflet, Project Brochure and FAQs) in hardcopy and on platforms such as BUILD-UP portal and dissemination activities during the final project event (WSED 2014). The project established a close link to the BUILD UP initiative. SUSTAINCO target municipalities become involved in BUILD UP Communities. FEDARENE and CoM networks where primarily used to communicate project results outside of the participant regions. Dissemination on a national level, energy agencies maintain regular contacts and worked closely together with regional governments, cities and municipalities in their regions. Each partner was in direct contact with key targets in the region (meeting, letter/e-mail and telephone). In order to provide further advice for industry representatives in the application of quality standards, an E-mail enquiry service in five languages was offered. The enquiry service provided a prompt and efficient advice service to a range of stakeholders including the general public and interested citizens but also to those involved in all aspects of NZEB design, construction, specification, and sales. The advice service also provided information on national, regional and local standards and policies including building regulations, codes and planning directives and relevant financial incentives and programmes that are available for NZEB projects. All partners will use the existing European and national networks for communication of project activities and dissemination of findings, learning and deliverables. Key Europe wide networks will be utilized – SUSTAINCO projects will be flagged up as Benchmarks of Excellence on the CoM website http://www.eumayors.eu/actions/benchmarks-of-excellence_en.html (where the actions take place in signatory areas) and will be submitted as case studies and best practice examples to ManagEnergy http://www.managenergy.net/casestudies.html and where appropriate entered for the ManagEnergy Local Energy Action Award. Several partners are long term members of FEDARENE and items will be presented for inclusion in the FEDARENE monthly Bulletin. Good cooperation of REGEA and several other partners with Energy-Cities http://www.energy-cities.eu/ will be another useful European network to publicize action. The SustainCo project contributed to advancing the subject of NZEBs and renewable energy in partner regions and abroad, and much will still be achieved in the future. Partners as experts in the fields of NZEB and energy efficiency and have developed useful materials, tools, and expertise that are of great interest and value for a variety of target groups. The high transferability potential results from the nature of the tools and networks developed in the project. Each partner also offered an information and advice service through which a total of almost 40,000 enquiries from a local, national and even international audience were received and answered, thus demonstrating the project’s large outreach. Furthermore, in countries where official NZEB definitions had not yet been integrated into legislation, project partners strived and succeeded in gaining the attention of national authorities. They shared with them the NZEB definition developed in the SustainCo project and proposed these definitions for consideration at a national level. All partners commit to ensuring a long-term use of the materials and knowledge gained during the project by continuing to disseminate information on NZEBs and renewable energy and by integrating SustainCo related activities in their activities. Through a combination of its geographical outreach, the transferability of the results and the partners’ commitment to the sustainability of the action, the SustainCo project will continue to positively influence the development of NZEB definitions and the implementation of NZEBs and renewable energy in partner countries and abroad in years to come.

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5 Frequently asked questions (FAQ) During the SUSTAINCO project partners received around 40,000 of enquires via the projects website, email and telephone lines. Some of the most frequently asked questions during the SUSTAINCO project where divided on four categories: general, building materials and techniques, renewables and financial support. General on nZEB standard:

What is nZEB & how to achieve it

Information about legal requirements (new buildings and renovation)

General information about how achieve an nZEB building

How to achieve nZEB standards in new construction and renovation

Where can I find installers for solid wall insulation

Where can I find installers for renewables

Do I need Planning Permission and/or a Building Warrant to install a biomass system in my private house

What are the legal requirements for nZEB new buildings and renovation Building materials and techniques for achieving nZEB standard:

How much insulation should my house have? How much do I need to achieve NZEB status

Which environment-friendly building materials are available and how much do they cost

With which measures can I best improve the energy performance of my house

General Energy Efficiency Tips - how do I save energy

Energy Audits - do I need one and who can do one

Information on attic & cavity wall insulation

Home energy Monitors - where to get and benefits of Renewables for achieving nZEB standard:

What renewables would be suitable for my property

How to maxiumise the benefits of solar PV

How do I size for solar panels

Is solar PV suitable for my home? Can I get solar panels installed for free

Useful combinations as solar panels (PV) and heatpump, e.g.

What heating system fits the best with my project

What's the difference between solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems

Is there enough reliable, long-term local woodfuel supply

How can I best integrate PV in my project Financial support to nZEB projects:

Are there grants to install solar panels

What grants are available for insulation

What grants are available for heating upgrades

Where can I get financial support. What grants are available

Subsidies, helps, and financial support for development energetic buildings

How much money would I get from Feed In Tariffs

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6 SUSTAINCO Conclusions Sustainable Energy for Rural Communities – SUSTAINCO project was focused on promotion of sustainable buildings, especially on mobilisation and involvement of key stakeholders and supporting new investments in Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB). Project goal was to generate much needed knowledge of NZEB subject and to increase level of information and knowledge with the key stakeholders in order to stimulate new investments and to facilitate overall NZEB sector development. It is worth mentioning that at the beginning of the project in 2012, NZEB was still relatively unknown subject and not defined on legislative level in project partner countries. The project consortium carried out activities in eight work packages. Work package 1 (WP1) was dedicated to project management. Examination of NZEB status in partner countries and process of developing Technical and Financial toolkits started in WP2. Promotion of NZEB standard on public level, started with creation of Case studies in WP3- which represent the best praxis used for dissemination on conferences, partner events, etc. Next important action was to produce adequate materials and guidelines in order to attract relevant target groups and stakeholders. Training and capacity buildings (in strong relation to toolkits produced in WP2), were in the focus of WP4. Side by side with previous actions - WP5 was all about mobilising and mentoring new NZEB investments WP6 supported public authorities from rural areas in joining CoM initiative and developed links on an EU level beneficial for future development of NZEB sector and for generating new investments in this field. WP7 was focused on dissemination of project results and information. WP8 covered resources in order contribute, upon request by the EACI, to common dissemination activities. Key findings and lessons learned: a) National legislation and standards are of crucial importance (including missing tools for calculating cost optimality in some countries). Many national governments have adopted the NZEB definition at the end of the project. b) Main barriers for greater NZEB uptake are limited capacity (knowledge) of public administration, especially in rural municipalities. For most local governments a massive training and technical assistance to improve their administrative capabilities to be capable of developing the strong and innovative programs like NZEB is still needed in all project partners’ countries. c) Perception of NZEB is often wrong and there is general reluctance to move away from traditional building design and technologies. d) Limited financial capacity of local governments/municipalities is a serious barrier in many parts of the EU. In general, local government budgets due to limited territories/number of inhabitants are too low to enable serious investment projects. Unfavorable tax income position versus central governments adds to this important barrier. Reliance on very limited budgets placed municipalities in a vulnerable position and unable to conduct larger NZEB investment projects. e) New financing models are needed, project team identified an important (potential) role of structural/ cohesion funds which should be used to support greater NZEB development (restriction of public funds to NZEB measures). f) Main requests (needs) from the stakeholders include education and trainings of architects, building material manufacturers, builders, standardisation and national legislation. g) An important challenge faced by the SUSTAINCO project was the economic crisis in most partner countries heavily affecting new developments in the construction industry and building sector, especially in rural areas. Currently, there is little interest in going beyond minimum standards—the economic crisis has led to low cost buildings and developments with maximum profit being constructed first. However, project results demonstrated that there is a space for new and innovative approaches.