ICLEI Europe is supporting the transformation of building complexes in four EU cities spanning Europe's main climate zones (Nordic, Coastal, Mediterranean and Continental) into positive energy buildings. The demo sites demonstrate the viability of existing technologies, as well as the cross-cutting benefits and opportunities positive energy solutions offer to neighbourhoods and inhabitants.

While traveling remains restricted, insights from the construction sites in Belgium, Austria, Spain and Finland can nonetheless be explored in a series of videos with footage from the sites and interviews with local experts on the status of construction, the innovative solutions and technologies deployed, and the milestones ahead.

In ICLEI Member Helsinki (Finland), a new residential building that meets positive energy standards is being constructed with support from the city's smart district: Kalasatama. The building will, amongst others, be equipped with DualSun PVT panels for multisource ground source heat pumps for 800m deep boreholes. Learn more in the video, here.

ICLEI Member Graz (Austria) is renovating a building complex in a former industrial area to meet positive energy standards, with a cascadic heat pump portfolio, a multifunctional façade and smart control systems checking demand and comfort. Learn more in the video, available here.

In the Belgian city of Hasselt, a social housing apartment complex is being retrofitted, enabling surplus energy production via rooftop wind turbines, PVT systems and heat pump installations. Learn more by watching the video here.

In Granada (Spain), a new apartment complex with shopping and economic spaces will be set up to produce, store and share energy within Spain’s first planned zero energy district. Energy from geothermal heat pumps and PV panels will also be used in an electric vehicle charging station on the spot. Click here to watch the video.

This work is being conducted as part of the EXCESS project, in which ICLEI Europe is a partner.

For more information, materials, and details on each demo site, visit the EXCESS project webpage here, or contact info@positive-energy-buildings.eu.