The Horizon Europe Herit4Ages project is developing user-centric and data-driven retrofitting solutions for a resilient, energy efficient, and inclusive cultural heritage. The project is coordinated by the University College of Cork, and has 12 partners in 8 countries. The Institute of Baltic Studies (IBS) is representing Estonia.
Heritage buildings represent an important part of our cultural identity. It is time to include them in the adaptation to a new energy model. For decades, heritage buildings have been an example of resilience, being the core of our cities, towns and villages. A building that has no use or purpose is abandoned and lost. It is imperative to ensure their conservation and maintenance by making them accessible, affordable and easy to maintain but also habitable and that is only possible considering usability as the main target.
Herit4Ages will demonstrate that it is possible to improve the overall performance of historic buildings while preserving their architectural and cultural identity. Given that the spectrum of historic buildings is very broad and subject to protection laws with different levels of intervention, the project aims to develop a set of solutions that can be replicated in different parts of Europe. There will be fiveliving labs in fiveor pilot sites, where innovative renovation solutions will be applied in practice, using co-creation methods for planning and decision-making. Tartu will be the site of one of those living labs, with IBS running the pilot, and also steering the co-creation processes for all living labs. IBS is also leading the assessment of social inclusion and participates in the creation of business models based on the lessons learned from the project and in researching and supporting the wider dissemination of innovative solutions.