IEM Project: Unifying Building Certification Processes

The Innovative Evaluation Methodology (IEM) project, coordinated by the company PACI Global, is tackling a crucial gap in the Spanish housing sector: the disjointed evaluation processes for Smart Readiness Indicators (SRI) and Energy Performance Certification (EPC). The lack of integration between the two frameworks currently forces property owners to undergo redundant evaluations, adding unnecessary costs and complexity. IEM seeks to address this by developing a unified methodology that streamlines the evaluation, creating a more efficient and cohesive certification process.

In its initial stages, the IEM project encountered challenges due to the limited development of Smart Readiness Indicators in Spain, leading to a homogeneous and restricted sample of properties. To overcome this, the IEM consortium broadened its selection criteria and forged partnerships with industry stakeholders, allowing access to a more diverse range of properties. This shift ensured that the IEM’s model could be thoroughly tested across varied scenarios, ensuring the robustness of the results.

Next Steps

Moving forward, IEM will continue expanding its property sample to ensure a more representative testing environment. After validating the system’s components, the project will focus on analyzing simulation data to further enhance system functionality. Final testing in a real-world simulation environment will follow, with the aim of confirming the system’s efficiency and effectiveness before wider implementation.

The successful integration of SRI and EPC processes could significantly reduce costs and streamline certifications, providing long-term benefits to property owners and evaluators across Spain.