Climate-KIC: Cypriot start-up takes energy performance ratings to the cloud

The next big thing in energy certification land: Enermap’s cloud application is looking to suck up the scattered energy performance data of Europe’s buildings, and enable consumers to make informed decisions.

A little over a decade ago, EU member states agreed to implement stricter rules on the energy efficiency certification of homes, businesses and government buildings. As a result, most properties in Europe now have official energy performance ratings that explain how much energy a building uses. But would you know where to go to find out how green your office building is, or which hotel is most energy efficient?
Cypriot start-up Enermap intends to fill this gap in the sustainability market, and is now moving Europe’s scattered energy performance data into the cloud and making it available for use in popular applications such as Google Maps; unearthing new factors for consumers to include in their purchasing considerations – and new opportunities for businesses to show-off their green infrastructures.
“People should be able to look for an energy efficient apartment to rent – or a green hotel – without having to go through bureaucratic procedures,” says Enermap founder Alexandros Charalambides, whose company won a €95.000 grant at Climate-KIC’s start-up festival Open Innovation Slam in November last year.

Scattered information

Although the European Union has agreed on a common energy certification policy, the implementation is done at national – and sometimes regional or local – government levels. “In some countries, the information is not even available electronically,” Charalambides revealed, pointing out the main challenge faced by Enermap: Getting hold of the – what should be publicly available – information.
Enermap, a European collaboration of researchers at Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus-based Open Box Communication and Nieuwland, a Dutch consultancy, is currently talking to EU governments to try and gather as much information as possible. “Technology-wise we are good to go, it is the data that we need,” Charalambides said.

Halve your energy bill

Real estate websites will be able to plug Enermap’s feed directly into their databases, enabling consumers to look up the rating of a building before they even arrange a viewing. “Choosing a house or apartment with a higher efficiency rating could potentially half your energy bill,” Charalambides says, indicating that Enermap is working on including up-to-date energy pricing information in its database – enabling it to display how much it costs to heat and cool a building.
The full article can be read on the Climate-KIC website!