I was positively surprised by what the model could take into account when analysing energy prices and electricity costs. It was also welcomed by the policy makers and energy stakeholders  we discussed the results with. It was very impressive. - Salvatore Fantoni, Sustainable Construction and Communications Manager, Eurima

The European Insulation Manufacturers Association (Eurima) commissioned a study together with the International Copper Association Europe  and the European Climate Foundation in 2023, titled "Flattening the Peak Demand Curve Through Energy Efficient Buildings: A Holistic Approach Towards Net-Zero Carbon," later turned into the Your Home, Our Future campaign.

Eurima is a Brussels-based business association representing mineral wool insulation manufacturers. Communicating the benefits of mineral wool insulation, Eurima assists its members in fields such as product standardisation and EU-focused issue monitoring and management, helping them to stay informed and contribute to EU affairs relevant to mineral wool insulation products and the industry's licence-to-operate.

Why Conduct an Open Energy System Study?

Buildings account for >30% of the EU's energy-related greenhouse gas emissions when using fossil fuels. The wish for a study was based on the need to address demand peaks through energy efficiency, flagged by members of Eurima.  It was a topic of great interest to the insulation and building sectors on how to achieve energy efficiency and performance requirements.

Eurima saw the need to address this issue by gathering arguments and narratives to contribute to European policy in the context of rapid electrification and the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Research had to look into the cost-optimal mix of measures needed in buildings to drive decarbonisation, grid planning, and lower Europeans' electricity bills. It required an energy system modelling study with different scenarios.

After being introduced to an open energy model study with PyPSA-Eur in 2023, they decided to explore PyPSA further. "It seemed to be the perfect type of modelling instrument for our needs," says Salvatore Fantoni, Communications Manager at Eurima.

We needed the results to be scientifically sound, effective, and transparent to support our ongoing activities. The study was incredibly useful. Due to popular demand, we are now working towards a  second iteration of the study with even more granularity. - Dimitar Kolichev, Energy & Climate Policy Manager, Eurima

The Study

The objective of this study is to assess the impact of various energy efficiency measures in buildings on reducing energy generation needs, flattening the peak demand curve, and influencing energy system costs, and energy bill prices. 

The focus of this particular study was on the representation of building retrofitting, which implies improvement of the building envelope, as well as the implementation of "active" demand-side measures.

The Your Home, Our Future Campaign

The results of the study were later published as an academic article in Applied Energy in April 2025.

The model is publicly available on GitHub.

See the project description on our website

A Study with Eurima, the International Copper Association Europe and the European Climate Foundation

The study encompassed several areas, including energy affordability, social and household impacts, and industry considerations using PyPSA-Eur. PyPSA-Eur is an open-source energy system model and open dataset that represents the entire European energy system at high spatial and temporal resolution, ideal to simulate and analyse future energy scenarios across Europe.

Time horizons of 2030, 2040, and 2050 were considered, which assumed emissions targets that represent the evolution of the energy system towards climate neutrality. All scenarios were designed in the context of a pathway towards meeting 90–95% emissions reduction by 2040 (compared to 1990) as set by the EU Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change in the EU's 2040 Climate Target Impact Assessment. 

Reaching the emissions targets requires a combination of measures, including commissioning renewable generation and electrochemical storage, expansion of transmission and distribution grids, implementation of heat pumps and solar thermal, and the use of hydrogen technologies and, of course, improving the energy efficiency of European buildings.

In the study, flattening of the peak demand curve through building envelope improvements was shown to impact all aspects of the energy system, including total energy costs, emissions, and optimising the need for generation and transmission infrastructure.

Awareness and Behaviour Change

"We are going for a paradigm shift," say Salvatore Fantoni (Sustainable Construction and Communication Manager) and Dimitar Kolichev (Energy & Climate Policy Manager). Even though impact is not always easy to quantify, the study is widely seen as having made a strong contribution, with elements already incorporated into policy.

The results of the study were used in the Your Home, Our Future campaign. They contributed to policy communication, strategic partnerships across the construction and energy systems sectors, and presentations at various conferences.

As Salvatore Fantoni and Dimitar Kolichev explain, most European-level energy system modelling is based on proprietary tools, where underlying assumptions, methodologies and data inputs are not always fully transparent or accessible, which limits the ability of external stakeholders to scrutinise, replicate, or build upon the results.

The open model approach built credibility as the results, assumptions, and methods were transparent. Highlighting relevant code snippets or cost assumptions directly in the model (on GitHub) during the study fostered constructive discussions and suggestions for improvement.

One of the most remarkable findings, according to Salvatore Fantoni, was the impact that energy efficiency in buildings can have on actual physical space. Improving the energy performance of buildings optimises the supply-demand nexus, which means that energy generation infrastructure can be built fit for size to meet optimised consumption needs. These infrastructure optimisations can mean up to 200 km² more can be used for, for instance, biodiversity preservation in Europe simply by insulating buildings. It also means lower costs for the consumer.

The study is also meant to show homeowners that they have an important role to play in the energy transition. Peak demand impacts their lives and they can do something about it.

Changing behaviours does not happen overnight. It is a gradual process and Eurima will keep working on the peak demand and electrification agenda, possibly with another study very soon.

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