"EDEA CICE project" the twins buildings in Extremadura

The construction sector plays a significant role within the European Union, consumes 40% of materials, generates 40% of waste, and accounts for 40% of primary energy consumption. These statistics highlight the significant impact of this sector on the economic, ecological, and social aspects of our environment, ultimately rendering it unsustainable.

Recognizing the significance of the construction sector, it becomes evident that a shift is necessary in the way buildings and their surroundings are designed, constructed, maintained, renovated, and demolished. In a nutshell, we need a more sustainable construction model.
To address this need, the Ministry of Development developed a new methodology for designing and constructing social housing in Extremadura. The aim is to create housing that adheres to sustainable criteria, exhibits superior energy performance, incorporates renewable energies, and ensures overall improvement in construction quality.

This concept will materialize through the construction of two detached single-family homes, following the housing typology outlined in the Special Plan.
The Special Housing Plan, initiated by the Council of Extremadura, intends to build homes across the region that are affordable for social groups with limited incomes. This plan encompasses the construction of various types of housing.

Both isolated single-family homes will face the same orientation and adopt the same structural system, exposing them to identical weather conditions. 

• The first one, will mirror the construction specifications currently employed in Extremadura for the Special Plan's 80 m2 housing units, serving as the "reference house." 
• The second one, referred to as the "experimental housing," will incorporate various sustainable measures and renewable energies. Both houses will fully comply with the Technical Building Code.

Monitoring both buildings’ results will enable the “EDEA CICE” to obtain comparative data on the passive/active systems implemented in our housing units in real-time. Moreover, a rigorous methodology will allow us to analyze how each modified variable affects the experimental house's energy demand.
Uniqueness and innovation are derived from the following characteristics of the project:

1.    Tailored to the specific climate of the Extremadura region.
2.    Designed for a particular type of building and population, namely social housing for low-income individuals.
3.    Acquisition of real data on the efficiency of methods employed in the experimental housing, compared to the "reference" house utilizing conventional construction systems typically found in social housing projects in Extremadura.