Med-EcoSuRe (Mediterranean University as Catalyst for Eco-Sustainable Renovation) is a project funded by the European Union, under the ENI CBC MED Programme 2014-2020. The Programme is managed by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy) and aims to promote cross-border cooperation in the Mediterranean region.

The main objective of the project is to propose and implement innovative and eco-sustainable energy renovation solutions for Mediterranean university buildings and introduce an active collaborating approach for decision support, among key actors involved, in the framework of a "Living Laboratory (LL)".

Med-EcoSuRe partners have been working in close collaboration to achieve the objectives of the projects, and here below are the main achievements and outputs during the first year of the project implementation period:

Performing Energy audits at the partners’ universities, in order to investigate the behavior and the overall energy consumption of the buildings, and to draw recommendations to reduce the energy consumption;

Elaboration of standard forms and models to evaluate the characteristics of the energy systems and the patterns of energy use for the buildings;

Design, evaluation and installation of grid-connected solar PV at the partners universities buildings;

Design, evaluation and installation of an experimental smart micro-grid platform equipped with an energy management system;

Launch of a survey to identify sustainable building rehabilitation solutions: selection of five innovative solutions addressing energy retrofitting of universities' buildings. (Lighting, domotics, heating/cooling, facades ventilation, solar energy, energy efficiency…);

Creating synergies with projects having the same objectives and priorities as Med-EcoSuRe;

Establishment of a Mediterranean cross-border living laboratory MED beX.Live (live the experience of university building environment): initiating an intermediation entity, a Living Lab, for the collaboration between academics, decision-makers and stakeholders, in order to support energy managers on planning and implementing innovative sustainable energy measures within higher education buildings;

Launch of an expression of interest to identify the project stakeholders as well as their involvement in the activities of the Living Lab, according to their area of ​​expertise and their interests;

Organization of a series of webinars involving ENI CBC Med projects, aiming to stimulate the knowledge sharing and the stakeholders’ participation while addressing various topics and challenges related to public buildings in the Mediterranean region;

Creation of an ICT platform to facilitate the cooperation and co-creation in MED beX.Live Living Lab community; and to ensure the gathering of information among partners and stakeholders, the transfer of knowledge and best practices; 

Development of a set of reference university buildings presenting the higher education building stock in the Mediterranean region;

Development of an “Abacus” database of existing traditional/innovative solutions suitable for Mediterranean university buildings.

A summary outline of the first year achievements is available here: http://www.enicbcmed.eu/sites/default/files/2020-09/First%20year%20achievements.pdf