EDIH-EBE

The EDIH-EBE focus is on sectoral coverage on Energy in Buildings and Districts, and as such, positions itself with focus and specialism for digitalisation within sector-coupling between Construction, Energy and ICT.

Its main objective is to act as a central access point, a “One-stop-shop” in providing range of services with the ultimate goal to support SMEs and public sector organisations towards successful digital transformation.

The ‘hub’ is based on the strong mobilisation of the excellent competences/expertise and infrastructure/facilities already available in Flanders.

Customers are supported with knowledge and expertise in (forward looking) digital technologies, trainings to increase competences in skilled work force, networking/info sessions/matchmaking events for improving awareness and bringing together actors of supply and demand in digital solutions, access investments for cost of equipment and software, and testing and experimenting environment to experience benefits leading to higher productivity, better technical performance, new business models and services.

Given the EDIH-EBE specialization, the support offered and the target market segments’ economic activity, it has a high potential for direct impact on the goals of the European Green Deal in terms of positive environmental effects and contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions, efficient use of resources, higher productivity and improved technical performance and business cases.

Specific objectives are to:
▪ Have a specific focus & sectoral coverage on Energy in Buildings and Districts, at level of
individual buildings, interaction of energy flows between buildings, and interaction with the energy grid. As such, it positions itself with focus and specialism for digitalisation within sector-coupling between Construction, Energy and ICT.

▪ Provide support for several Digital Technologies: Artificial Intelligence (AI), High Performance
Computing (HPC), Cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud computing, Building Information Management (BIM), Big Data, Datasets, Data analytics, Simulation/Software, Digital Twin. The overarching motivation is stimulating use of these technologies, within
business/functions to improve products, processes, productivity and services.

▪ Position itself as facilitator for uptake of advanced digital technologies and their
accelerated use in the construction industry. Embracing digital technologies in the energy
domain in the built environment is essential for energy efficient construction and renovation of
buildings/districts, with increased digitalization in the built environment being seen as much
necessary step (e.g. ‘Renovation Wave’). Many Flemish companies (and elsewhere in Europe)
are lagging in digital skills and are in need of knowledge, skills and experience to increase their
digital maturity level, making the urgency very high of providing them with necessary support.

▪ Establish fully operational ‘One-Stop-Shop’ in the Region of Flanders (Belgium)
incorporating all necessary functionalities for smooth functioning of the EDIH Services.
The hub is based on strong mobilisation of the excellent competences/expertise and
infrastructure/facilities already available in Flanders. It is also based on strong mechanisms for networking and matchmaking within its innovation ecosystem as well as collaboration of EDIH-EBE across Europe, namely through benefiting from networking and collaboration within the EU-EDIH- Network and relevant competences and capacities built up in the context of the Digital Europe Programme.