by Norberto Fueyo, María Herrando, Antonio Gómez (UNIZAR)

This report describes a cross testing procedure that circumvents the major practical obstacles in carrying out cross testing of the planned 147 buildings.The deliverable includes a review of the status of EPCs in the crossCert countries, to set out the status quo and provide a basis for the development of the methodology and indeed for the rest of the crossCert project. The cross testing requirements are set out and we describe the rationale for selecting the buildings that will be the subject of cross testing. The report also provides the full list of buildings, comprising 147 buildings to be tested, the cross testing protocol and the detailed methodology we have used for selecting buildings.

This document introduces the crossCert Building Repository, a crossCert consortium deliverable in the context of Task 2.4 crossCert Benchmark Repository (WP2). It describes the contents of the repository, the collection methods, the hosting details and the instructions for user access.

The crossCert Building Repository was developed for researchers and modellers and provides complex building data that is essential for testing and validating EPC models. Unlike other databases such as the EU Buildings Observatory or the BuiltHub platform, which are aimed at broader decarbonization monitoring and policy design, this repository provides the detailed information needed to develop building energy models.The data provided by the crossCert consortium partners during the tests in Task 2.3 reflect different building typologies and climate zones and increase the utility of the repository for testing and validating models.

This report summarises EPC methodologies currently in use across chosen European countries, focussing on those of relevance to the crossCert project. The information collated will act as a reference document  to highlight differences in approaches to energy assessment and, by extension, different responses to the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive.

By conducting this review, EPC approaches are categorised based on type of calculation methodology used, methods of input data gathering, use of real building and/or energy data, and outputs generated from the EPC process. This categorisation will aid later analysis in the project, where crossCert will investigate the impact that country-specific EPC choices have on EPC outputs, and any consequences of these outputs.

The goal is to address the technical dimensions of EPCs (including inputs, metrics, and control/verification) in order to identify potential improvements and guidelines. The work is also the basis for harmonisation recommendations to be compiled at a later stage. The first step of is studying different EPC methodologies used in crossCert partner countries. This deliverable is focused on reviewing general aspects as well as some technical details of EPC assessment methodologies.

This report is the outcome of Task 3.3, “Evaluation of the renovation measures recommended by EPCs”. It summarises the advice provided as recommendations in EPC documents across chosen European countries, focusing on those relevant to the crossCert project. Sources of information used for devising this report include EPC documents from the partner countries, as well as questionnaires and workshop outcomes.

The main aspects studied in this report include the format the recommendations are presented in on EPC documents, the source and nature of these recommendations, and the relevant information and indicators provided. In addition, the role of assessors in providing these recommendations and potential gaps between assessor training and background education, with the knowledge required for proposing suitable recommendations, is investigated. Based on the collected information and the results of the cross-testing stage, a comparison is also made between countries’ approaches towards EPC calculation and their approaches towards EPC recommendations.

Work Package 3 in the crossCert project includes extended results analysis and the issuance of conclusions based on Work Package 2 results. As part of this work package, this report uses the results of the C-testing and P-testing included in Work Package 2 to perform a numerical analysis on the effects of variations of parameters and calculation approaches between methodologies on the final energy consumption values. In the C-testing round of the project, 10 different EPC methodologies were applied to 52 C-buildings. In addition, 8 P-buildings were modelled in IES-VE dynamic simulation package. In devising this report, the EPC certificates and the C-testing reports produced by the partners as well as the results of the dynamic energy models created in the P-testing phase were used as sources of information.

A big part of the crossCert project is to analyze the results of cross-testing and information gathered. This report leverages the collected data to identify differences and best practices in quality control mechanisms across crossCert countries. We aim to propose a harmonized framework to enhance these mechanisms. The report focuses on examining critical aspects of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessments that influence quality control, aiming to standardize these processes across Europe.

To achieve our goal, this report incorporates data from the C-testing and L-testing reports, feedback from project partners via questionnaires, and further information from of crossCert reports. Additionally, we considered findings from similar projects like QualDeEPC, XTendo, and the Concerted Action EPBD reports.

Our findings highlight significant differences in EPC assessments among crossCert countries, including calculation methodologies, EPC software, the EPC document itself, and the qualifications required for assessors. This report focuses on these aspects as critical factors in EPC quality control and proposes a framework applicable to any EPC methodology, aiming to establish key features of robust quality control mechanisms.

Understanding EPC assessment and certification from the people-centred aspects of EPCs and services

by Domen Bančič and Jure Vetršek (IRI-UL)

This report provides a fresh perspective on understanding energy performance certificates (EPCs) from a people-centred perspective. More specifically, it provides a framework for people-centred research of all EPC related things, with a specific focus on how policies are translated into practice through interaction between people, and on the elements of EPC assessment and certification service and its products (the EPCs).