idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
The EU-funded SMARTeeSTORY project has launched a new Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) Calculation Web Tool designed to support the digital and energy transition of non-residential historic buildings across Europe. Steinbeis Europa Zentrum is responsible for disseminating this key project result to a wider international audience.
Historic buildings play a central role in Europe’s cultural identity, but improving their energy performance remains a major challenge. By combining technical, operational and financial insights, the SMARTeeSTORY web tool provides an evidence-based pathway to:
- Improve smart readiness and automation
- Optimise energy use and occupant comfort
- Prioritise digital and energy upgrades strategically
- Support better-informed investment decisions
Developed by the project partner TECNALIA and further enhanced in collaboration with project partner RINA-C, the web-based tool helps building owners, energy experts and public authorities assess how ready historic buildings are to adopt smart technologies, while respecting heritage properties.
Supporting smart upgrades in protected buildings
The SRI is a European Commission framework that measures a building’s readiness to use smart technologies such as automation, digital control systems and energy management solutions. It evaluates how effectively a building can optimise energy use, adapt to occupants’ needs and interact with the energy grid.
For historic buildings, where physical interventions are often limited, the SRI offers a structured way to identify non-invasive, smart solutions that improve comfort, energy performance and operational efficiency without compromising architectural value.
Built on EU methodology, enhanced for practice
The SMARTeeSTORY SRI Web Tool is based on Method B – Expert SRI Assessment, as defined in the European Commission’s official SRI technical framework. An initial version of the tool, developed by TECNALIA, implemented the full SRI calculation process through a guided and user-friendly interface.
The newly released version expands these capabilities. TECNALIA and RINA-C introduced additional features that were validated by SMARTeeSTORY partners through three real-world demonstrators located in Riga (Latvia), Granada (Spain) and Delft (the Netherlands).
New functionalities include:
- Target-setting based on economic, environmental or energy priorities
- Suggestions of smart solutions to increase SRI scores based on user preferences
- A financial module providing high-level estimates of savings and return on investment through a cost-effectiveness indicator for the proposed solutions
Together, these enhancements turn the tool into a decision-support platform that links technical assessment with practical renovation planning.
Tested on real historic buildings
The web tool was applied to assess both baseline and post-intervention scenarios for the three SMARTeeSTORY demonstrator buildings, all of which are heritage-protected.
The analysis showed substantial improvements in smart readiness. After the project intervention, Riga is expected to reach an SRI score of 83% and Delft 77%, while Granada is projected to reach 71%, corresponding to readiness class B.
According to the project’s proposed classification, Riga and Delft fall within the highest smart readiness category, while Granada reaches readiness class B. The results confirm that, although achieving a perfect SRI score is rarely feasible in real buildings, historic buildings can still reach high levels of smart readiness through carefully selected digital upgrades.
A tool for multiple stakeholders
The SMARTeeSTORY SRI Calculation Web Tool is intended for a broad range of users involved in historic building renovation and management, including:
- Building owners and facility managers
- Energy auditors and SRI assessors
- Municipalities and public authorities
- Architects, engineers and retrofit designers
- Researchers and innovation actors
Its guided structure makes it accessible to non-experts, while still supporting detailed expert assessments. This tool can also be used in a wide range of cases, not limited to historic buildings, ensuring replicability and scalability for advising on improvements to the SRI across the European building stock.
About SMARTeeSTORY
SMARTeeSTORY is a Horizon Europe project that turns historical buildings into climate-neutral landmarks. Its consortium of 13 partners from 6 countries aims to accelerate the digital transformation of historical non-residential buildings in Latvia, the Netherlands and Spain.
Within the consortium, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum leads the dissemination of project results and coordinates communication activities targeting international stakeholders and audiences.
SMARTeeSTORY is a Horizon Europe project supported by the European Commission under grant agreement No 101103956.
Project Coordinators
Matteo Porta, RINA-C — matteo.porta@rina.org
Heidi Percuoco, RINA-C — heidi.percuoco@rina.org
Press Contact
Adélaïde Chopard, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum — adelaide.chopard@steinbeis-europa.de
Matteo Porta, RINA-C — matteo.porta@rina.org
Heidi Percuoco, RINA-C — heidi.percuoco@rina.org
https://sri.energy.tecnalia.dev/SMARTeeSTORY/ - Access the SMARTeeSTORY SRI Calculation Web Tool
https://www.smarteestory.eu - Projektwebsite
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