Project summary

The S3UNICA project is the natural follow up of the Pilot Project “Smart Campus” selected by DG REGIO under the call for expression of interest for “Thematic Partnerships to pilot interregional innovation projects”, within the S3 Partnership on “Sustainable Buildings”.

Who are the protagonists?

Why S3UNICA?

S3UNICA brings together 5 countries to build more effective innovation policies and to support interregional cooperation.

The Smart Specialization University Campus project aims at emphasizing the role of Universities in regional innovation policies, by providing specialist research and technical expertise in the field of energy sustainable buildings and by offering campuses as a hands-on lab where to implement these innovative solutions.

Universities involved in the project can contribute to regional knowledge exchange and its translation into innovative energy products, solutions and public/private services.

€1,538,662.00

from 1 Aug 2019
to 31 Jul 2023

Topic

Low-carbon economy

Our goals

S3UNICA will be able to create a virtuos circle, indeed it promotes the symbiosis with regional territory and capitalize the experience of "Smart Campus" project to

improve the energy efficiency of University Campus buildings and infrastructures
develop of innovative solutions throughout the value chain associated to energy saving and smart grid developments
define a common methodology, using the new Energy Performance of Buildings directive and its Smart Readiness Indicator.

Moreover, being S3 an ex-ante conditionality to access Cohesion Policy funds, this project will contribute to the foreseen “entrepreneurial discovery” process to influence regional policy, starting from University achievements and involving all the quadruple helix actors: S3UNICA can count on the involvement S3P Partnership on Sustainable Buildings, which currently includes 45 public administrations and the participation of different stakeholders from the industrial sector and civil society.

How can we do that?

5 action plans
24 stakeholder meetings
7 newsletters and communication strategy
Catalogue of good practices
Self assessment tool
5 exchanges of experience
3 campus technical meetings
6 steering group meetings

What policy instruments does the project address?

The Friuli Venezia Giulia region has approved its regional energy Plan (REP) on the 22nd December 2015 as stated in the Italian decrees n. 28/2011 and n.102/2014 which implements the directive 2009/28/CE on energy and climate and the use of renewable energies and the directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency

Based on the 20-20-20 Package on climate and energy the FVG REP is articulated on the following measures:

implement and finance an energy register of public buildings (university campuses as well), starting from the regional heritage, to establish regional energy requalification objectives and priority funding for interventions. At the same time, create a regional computerized system for collecting data on the regional contributions granted in terms of energy efficiency, energy saving and use of RES and on energy savings achieved;
create a summary of technical sheets with the description of "typical interventions" in the field of energy requalification (both for building structures and for facilities) available to public administrations. To this end, prepare the regional guidelines to encourage and promote the use of GPP (Green Public Procurement) in public administations;
introduce an incentive in new buildings and existing buildings (university campuses included) to implement an improvement in energy performance, to install RES plants and micro-plants or to increase supply from RES, compared to the minimum already established by national obligations;
obligation of a three-year plan for the Public Administration for the restructuring of public buildings with the aim to comply with the minimum RES levels and the incentive of the same through an order of priority in the allocation of financial spaces.

Thanks to interregional cooperation and exchange of experiences within the project, the selected energy Plan will be mainly improved through:

NEW PROJECTS : develop distributed generation and intelligent networks that allow the measurement and control of flows with digital communication systems and finance pilot projects that include innovative thermal storage systems for existing public buildings;
STRUCTURAL CHANGES: promoting the use of IOT systems which would allow to monitor and manage electric and thermal energy in order to improve energy saving and the integration of RES in the traditional systems.
S3 POTENTIAL NEW TRAJECTORIES: entrepreneurial discovery process based on the involvement of the Energy sector quadruple helix actors.

Which partners are working on this?

Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region – Environment and Energy Central Directorate – energy transition service
University of Udine - DPIA
University of Trieste

Andalusia ERDF 20142020 Objective T.O. 4. Priority Line 4d: The development and application of intelligent distribution networks operating at low and medium voltage

The main aim of the Priority Line 4d is to develop an energy infrastructure system that ensures quality of supply and use of autochthonous resources of Andalusia, as well as its orderly implementation in the territory, forming a more efficient energy model through the incorporation of elements that allow for "smart" energy management. The policy instrument addressed parts of regional energy strategies and planning of the Regional Government, precisely the Energy Strategy for Andalusia 2020. Actions associated with smart energy grids and improving the quality of energy supply are being financed.

Improvements should be made concerning the development of integrated and complex projects, as the DG Regio "Smart Campus" pj. Currently, the Incentive Programme 2014-2020, managed by the AEA, should include possible other beneficiaries as university campus to receive incentives. Further improvements envisaged include increasing projects concentrated in critical areas as university campuses, technological parks, ports. S3UNICA will include pilot projects and foster conditions for replication and the development of smart grids and increasing quality of supply, identifying new areas of interest in the energy system, improving coordination with the regional energy strategy and Incentive Scheme, specifically in the Smart Grid action line.

More flexible development tools should be applied facilitating monitoring and evaluation bodies and management centres when reorienting the programme.

Which partners are working on this?

Andalusian Energy Agency, Regional Ministry of Employment, Enterprise and Commerce, Andalusian Government (AEA)
University Institute of Domotic and Energy Efficiency. University of Malaga

Programme for sustainable growth and jobs 2014-2020 Finnish national program of EU Structural funds ERDF Priority 2 Theme Producing and using the latest information and knowledge (ERDF)

The policy instrument is the Finnish national operating program of EU structural funds. The ERFD priority 2 aims at the production of new knowledge and knowhow, and also at delivering it to the society. The program is a major tool for the regional advancement of low-carbon society, as well as creation of strutural reform of the local economy, employment and entrepreneurship. The selected policy instrument contains three specific objectives (SO’s) that are interlinked with respect to the topic area of S3UNICA project. These SO’s are:

4.1 the development of new research, knowhow and innovation hubs based on regional strenghts,
5.1 strenghtening the innovation capacity of companies
3.2 developing new solutions for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The transition to low carbon society is a crosscutting theme in the Finnish OP, which strongly supports also regional transition measures. The challenge of SO selection in multi-dimensional topics, such as competence building and integrated projects for improved sustainable real estate management, is both on the MA’s and the project developers side. There is also more room for interregional project intitatives than are being currently utilised. The project is targeting this aspect of the policy instrument through deepening the stakeholder interaction and EU benchmarking of best practices within the topic area covered by S3UNICA.

Which partners are working on this?

Regional Council of South Karelia
Lappeenranta University of Technology LUT

Low Emission Development Programme and a new Sustainable Energy Action Plan for Bielsko-Biała

The document establishes municipality's long-term energy strategy, which is then translated into a set of specific measures to be implemented by the municipality and local stakeholders (including educational community) by 2020.
The overarching aim is the reduction of GHG emissions from the city territory by minimum 20% by 2020 through the reduction of energy consumption and wider use of RES. Key areas of action include "energy efficiency in buildings" and "energy education" and educational community is among the key stakeholders.

Since the plan is periodically evaluated & updated and there is a possibility that the municipality will continue its commitment with the Covenant of Mayors by adopting new, extended Sustainable Climate and Energy Action Plan with extended goals until 2030, some improvements could be suggested, including adoption of new, innovative energy efficiency measures (to contribute to the achievement of ambitious GHG emission reduction targets) and better cooperation with the higher education community - both in the area of testing new solutions (that could be later replicated in other sectors) and in the area of energy education and raising energy awareness.

The activities planned within the project will also support the implementation of current measures foreseen and the achievement of the current, ambitious goals.

Which partners are working on this?

Association of Municipalities Polish Network "Energie Cités"

Regional Operational Programme - Priority Axis 3.1 - Support for energy efficiency, smart energy management and renewable energy use in public infrastructures, including in public buildings and in the housing sector

Regional Development Plan of Centru Development Region is the main planning and programming document elaborated at Centru Development Region. Its global objective is ”balanced development of Centru Development Region by stimulating knowledge-based economic growth, environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources as well strengthening social cohesion”.

The Development Strategy of the Centru Region comprises 6 strategic areas of development, each of them grouping a number of specific priorities and measures:

Urban development, development of regional technical and social infrastructure
Increase of economic competitiveness, stimulating research and innovation
Protection of the environment, increase of energy efficiency, stimulation the use of alternative energy sources
Development of rural areas, support of agriculture and forestry
Increase of regional tourist attractiveness, supporting cultural activities and recreation
Development of human resources, increasing social inclusion