Research

Services

The construction and urban development sectors are at the heart of energy and environmental challenges: energy efficiency, development and integration of renewable energy, renovation, urban development, building stock management, energy networks and new building construction components and systems are just some of the issues to be addressed.

The CSTB is guiding the various stakeholders in the construction and urban development sectors throughout the entire innovation cycle by systematically combining experimental methods, metrology and simulation at various scales.

Guiding innovation, products and services

Our services

  • Broadening the original concept (new ideas and technology mix) by analyzing building integration potential (technical, functional and marketing approach, analysis of current and future regulatory constraints and overview of assessment road map: Technical Approval, Technical Assessment Procedure (ATEx), etc.)
  • Technical development: defining the road map for R&D, and upstream scientific studies to lift barriers, technical design, sizing, optimization studies, impact studies, algorithm design, prototypes, computer software coding, etc.

References

Characterizing innovative products and services

Our services

  • Characterizing energy and environmental performance
  • Integrating innovative products in energy regulations (Title V)
  • Preparing French environmental and health product declarations (FDES) and third-party review of declarations
  • Assessing the impact of energy management systems on comfort, consumption and networks (smart grids)
  • Assessing innovative energy generation systems
  • Providing turnkey assessment laboratories, renting test laboratories

Methodology

  • Dynamic energy simulation software for all scales, from component to neighborhood
  • Multiscale building material life cycle assessment software

Technological platforms

  • Semi-virtual laboratories linking simulated buildings to energy production systems or real, innovative control systems (Eu.BAC, PEDAGO and PEPSY laboratories)
  • Insulation product and envelope component measurement laboratories (hygrothermal, optical, mechanical and physicochemical properties) and material durability tests
  • The MARIA Laboratory: a configurable experimental house fitted with measurement equipment; capable of simulating occupancy conditions

References

Calculation core development

Our services

Our multidisciplinary teams specialize in engineering and research in energy and environmental performance for buildings, combined with expertise in computer science (coding of business algorithms) to create complex calculation cores, particularly in the following areas:

  • simulation: dynamic thermal simulation, dynamic energy simulation, etc.
  • assessment: performance rating algorithms based on a library of indicators, auditing algorithms (diagnoses, recommendations, etc.)
  • automated processing of building measurement data: consumption, temperature, sunlight levels, etc.

These calculation cores are designed for integration into external applications. They are built by adapting and assembling existing algorithmic components or are fully developed and customized by the CSTB.

Methodology

  • Simulation calculation cores: COMETH (dynamic energy simulation for buildings, compatible with TH-BCE), DIMOSIM (neighborhood-scale dynamic energy simulation)
  • Environmental assessment calculation engines: ELODIE
  • Statistical calculation cores: QIRIEL (statistical inference engine for building and occupancy characteristics), CRONIQ (statistical generation of electric charge profiles)
  • BATILAB library for in situ measurement processing algorithms (error correction, recognition of energy uses, identification of thermal models, etc.)
  • Library of operational research algorithms

References

Energy performance guarantee (GPE)

Our services

  • Technical and methodological assistance for monitoring the energy performance guarantee: GPEI (initial state) and GRE (in operation)
  • Establishment of methods for in situ assessment of intrinsic performance upon commissioning: envelope (waste, inertia, weatherproofing, etc.) and systems (performance, etc.)
  • Commissioning plan: initial (adjustments), in service (detection of problems and defaults). Defining methods, carrying out missions.
  • Measurement and Verification (M&V): defining and implementing the methodology in line with the recommendations of the IPMVP, in particular.
  • Consumption adjustment: this key step consists of correcting the performance indicators (especially consumption) for factors such as the indoor environment, occupancy and weather conditions.
  • Assessing performance gains following renovation program (including in social housing to determine the tenant's share in cost savings)
  • Analyzing service dysfunctions causing deviations between predicted and actual performance

Methodology

  • Smart-EPC: instrumented long-term monitoring of housing (hardware+software) - produces a comprehensive automated energy audit
  • ISABELE: short-term measurement of the performance of a building's envelope
  • REPERE: method of assessing the performance gains of renovation programs
  • VALENR: instrumented monitoring of renewable energy production systems - produces an analysis of efficiencies
  • PEDAGO Laboratory: semi-virtual test bench for energy management automation. Real control system connected to a digitally emulated environment and building

References

Support for advanced engineering

Our services

  • Analysis of overall performance using simulation and/or in situ monitoring
  • Design optimization
  • Operational feedback

Methodology

  • COMETH: driver of dynamic energy simulation
  • ELODIE: software for analyzing the contributions generated by the environmental impacts of buildings
  • TRNSYS: dynamic thermal simulation software applied to buildings.

References

Optimization of building stock management

Our services

  • Producing energy and environmental mapping of the building stock: segmentation by type, defining performance indicators and calculation and correction methods, statistical approach to performance, benchmark with the statistics of the French building stock, analysis of improvement potential, etc.
  • Defining a road map for progress: general objectives and associated action plan; simulation of scenarios and assessments of the socioeconomic impacts
  • Tracking performance in the long term, analyzing trends and drifts

Our teams can also provide specific operational technical assistance with implementation improvements, including:

  • integration of energy and environmental issues in existing operational processes (for example, inclusion of the energy impact of maintenance work in the arbitration of the annual plan)
  • carrying out pilot operations (new or renovation), analyzing feedback and getting inputs on the strategy
  • monitoring buildings (using technology to track consumption and usage), expert analysis of the data
  • optimizing the conditions of control systems, management, operation and maintenance to tap into energy savings, for a fast return on investment
  • raising awareness among building occupants to promote environmentally responsible behavior
  • economic assessment of scenarios: analysis of overall cost, time to return on investment, comparison between investments and deferred gains, etc.

References

supporting regional and local public policies

Our services

Our teams offer considerable technical expertise and extensive consulting experience in public policy development, as well as excellent knowledge of the French building stock. They also provide socioeconomic analyses of public policy. Our offer of comprehensive and unparalleled services include the following, in areas such as environmental and energy efficiency in buildings, building upgrades and urban infrastructure:

  • Situational analysis
  • Feasibility study
  • Definition of action plans, scenarios, etc: regulatory mechanisms, incentive programs, information and communication, data collection, etc.
  • Development of support methods and tools
  • Development of master plans
  • Public policy impact studies
  • Cost-benefit analyses and multicriteria analyses
  • Statistical and econometric analyses using databases
  • Valuing environmental and health externalities
  • Assistance with operational implementation

Methodology

  • Energy & Environment: multiscale database on the French building stock
  • Waste management: inventory of sources of waste and their treatment processes to optimize flows at local levels

References

Performance benchmarks for buildings and building stock

Our services

  • Definition of performance indicators
  • Definition of calculation methods for indicators
  • Development of associated calculation tools
  • Establishment of statistically based reference values

Methodology

  • Multiscale database on the French building stock
  • ELODIE: calculation software for environmental performance indicators

References

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