EXCESS defines a positive energy building (PEB) as a building that produces more energy than it uses, with a high renewable energy source (RES) self- consumption rate (instead of using the grid for solving seasonal balancing issues) over a time span of one year.

RES and smart technologies exist, but complete packages for different climates do not. Important technical developments for plus energy building materials and other individual technologies are required to address specific climate related needs in order to meet the PEB level; especially in harsh climates. Integration is needed for upgrading single technologies to be part of a large orchestra enabling also user-context-aware energy flexible services between utilities and customers (selling flexibility). These will unlock additional revenue streams that reduce the lifetime cost of the developed PEB solutions, making them affordable also to large portion of society. Thus, EXCESS will advance new materials, technologies and integrated technological systems promoting a user-centric approach, capitalising on new ICT opportunities for optimising the interplay of local generation, storage, consumption at the building
and district level.

Demonstration activities in each of the climate zones (Austria, Belgium, Finland and Spain) will be accompanied by co-innovation, replication and exploitation activities to maximise the project's technical, social and economic impact and to prepare for a future market roll out of the PEB concept by also scouting energy efficiency funding opportunities.