How DATAWiSE Supports the Energy Efficiency & Green Transition

Energy sustainability and environmental degradation are increasingly urgent societal challenges, both for the EU and globally.

At the heart of the European Green Deal, climate action remains a key objective for improving the competitiveness and resource efficiency of the European economy. One pathway towards achieving this goal lies in enhancing the energy performance of buildings, which are among the EU’s largest energy consumers. While approximately half of the EU’s energy consumption is attributable to buildings, around 75% of the building stock remains energy inefficient, adding to the pressing need for innovative solutions.

The Commission has identified data as one of the key drivers of building energy efficiency. Access to high-quality and high-volume data can facilitate significant improvements by enhancing the understanding of consumer behaviour, increasing the effectiveness of energy use, and supporting innovative energy solutions.

So, the climate for change is present. Now we need to drive it. And, one of the key enablers for that drive, is data.

This emphasis on climate neutrality and efficient energy use is also reflected in the EU regulatory framework. Two of the key legislative pillars in this area, the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Energy Efficiency Directive.

Their ‘Energy Efficiency First’ deployable principle aims to lower energy costs for both citizens and businesses. In particular, Article 16 EPBD adopts a data-driven approach by requiring that building owners, tenants, and managers have the game-changing right to direct access to data generated by their building systems. [*] Such data may also be shared with third parties, subject to certain conditions and safeguards.

The approach taken in that Article 16 further reinforces the EU’s commitment to make accessible and available data, and leveraging it to improve energy efficiency while underlining the importance of interoperability and seamless data exchange across services and sectors. Although these regulatory developments provide a strong foundation for improving building performance, the demand for intelligent building management solutions continues to grow. Without a standardised, comprehensive, and long-term approach, efforts to improve energy efficiency often focus on short-term operational gains while overlooking broader considerations such as sustainability, stakeholder diversity, and wider environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Driven by the objective of addressing these challenges, DATAWiSE aims to develop and validate advanced building management tools that maximise both energy efficiency and stakeholder value. Consistent with the EU’s policy and regulatory direction, DATAWiSE recognises the transformative role of data and leverages cross-sectoral datasets to better understand and optimise building operations. To support this objective, the project develops AI-based data fusion frameworks capable of integrating and analysing diverse data sources. Ultimately, DATAWiSE seeks to generate actionable insights into energy consumption and translate them into optimised energy management strategies.

Through its data-driven technologies, DATAWiSE is expected to deliver significant cost reductions, operational optimisation, and wider adoption of smarter and more sustainable energy solutions. The benefits extend across a broad range of stakeholders, including local authorities, private enterprises, energy service providers, and local communities. Overall, DATAWiSE seeks to strengthen local resilience through improved comfort, convenience, health, and well-being, while encouraging more efficient energy use through real-time monitoring and intelligent decision-making. The integration of smart technologies can further enhance property investment value by improving both market attractiveness and tenant satisfaction. Energy Management Companies can leverage DATAWiSE to gain real-time insights into consumption patterns and optimise energy performance, while energy providers can improve customer engagement and supply management through tailored services based on actual usage data. In addition, the solutions developed within DATAWiSE can support public authorities and regulators in advancing sustainability objectives by providing evidence-based insights that inform the development of standards, policies, and regulatory frameworks for energy efficiency.

Said otherwise, DATAWiSE demonstrates how intelligent building management can contribute to a more sustainable and efficient built environment.

The climate for chance is present. Now, the data to drive that climate for change is readily available, accessible, useable and re-usable as well, to deliver tangible benefits for individuals, local communities and stakeholders, and society at large, supporting the transition towards a smarter, greener and more competitive Europe.

REFERENCES

[1]: Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings (recast): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202401275 

[2]: Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/955 (recast): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32023L1791

[3]: European Commission, HORIZON-CL5-2023-D4-02-01: Demonstration of solutions that enhance the intelligence of buildings: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2023-d4-02-01

[4]: European Commission, Green Transition: https://reforms-investments.ec.europa.eu/technical-support-instrument-0/green-transition_en