INIVE eeig (International Network for Information on Ventilation and Energy performance)

1. A guiding hand in the huge information minefield
 
Over the past 20 years, there has been a tremendous growth in the volume of available knowledge on indoor climate, energy efficiency and ventilation of buildings.
 
It is therefore increasingly important to efficiently handle the available information, to make it accessible in a format suitable for the (various types of) users, to identify major trends and to have an intelligent centralisation of information. This kind of work can be done at the level of an individual organisation or country, but there clearly are major synergetic benefits if done in an international and multi-organisational context. This is why INIVE (International Network for Information on Ventilation and Energy performance) was founded in 2001.

2. About INIVE
 
INIVE is a registered European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG), whereby from a legal viewpoint its full members act together as a single organisation, and bring together the best available knowledge from its member organisations. The present full members are all leading organisations in the building sector, with expertise in building technology, human sciences, and dissemination/publishing of information. They also actively conduct research in this field - the development of new knowledge will always be important for INIVE members.
 
INIVE has multiple aims including the collection and efficient storage of relevant information, to provide guidance and to identify major trends, to develop intelligent systems for providing the building society useful knowledge in the area of energy efficiency, indoor climate and ventilation. Building energy-performance regulations is another major area of interest for the INIVE members, especially the implementation of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC).
 
With respect to the dissemination of information, INIVE EEIG aims for the widest possible distribution of information. Therefore, almost all information is available free of charge in the countries with an INIVE member.

3. INIVE and the AIVC
 
Since its creation in 2001, a major activity of INIVE EEIG has been the Operating Agent for the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC). The AIVC is one of the International Energy Agency's 7 information centres, and is organized under the IEA's Implementing Agreement on Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems (ECBCS). AIVC's main focus is on ventilation, indoor climate, energy in buildings, and related building technology & physics. With at present some 10.000 visitors a month, the AIVC website is clearly recognised as a major information point for ventilation related topics. This is illustrated by the fact that Google identifies nearly always AIVC as the primary reference when searching information on 'ventilation' (and this on a total of some 60 million references).

4. INIVE and the EPBD Buildings Platform
 
The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is at present the major driving force in Europe for regulatory initiatives regarding minimum energy performance measures in buildings and the energy certification of buildings. Moreover, the approach receives also a lot of attention in other countries. Dissemination of information on the EPBD fits very well in the mission of INIVE. Since the beginning of 2006, INIVE is coordinating on behalf of the European Commission Directorate General for Transport and Energy (DG TREN) the work of the EPBD Buildings Platform, whereby this Platform acts as the official information platform of DG TREN (www.buildingsplatform.org).

5. INIVE and the SAVE ASIEPI Project

The ASIEPI project (01/10/2007 - 31/03/2010) (www.asiepi.eu) is coordinated by INIVE EEIG and deals with the implementation of the EU EPBD directive and analyses the following aspects:

• EPBD requires Member States to define building energy performance requirements... but did the Member States take this opportunity to strengthen their existing legislation?
• Member States are free to define their calculation methods and their requirements... Is it therefore possible to compare requirements across Europe? If yes, are the requirements from one country more severe than those of neighbouring countries?
• EPBD gives a list of aspects to consider in the calculation procedures... Practically, how to effectively handle thermal bridges, stimulate good summer comfort conditions and good building and duct airtightness?
• EPBD should not be a barrier for innovation. Are there legal and technical frameworks to assess the energy performance of new innovative systems not cover by the standard procedures?
• Regulations are only useful if they are respected. How do the Member States organise control and compliance?

In addition to the traditional reports, publications, contributions to workshops and conferences, ASIEPI will also disseminate its result through web events and presentations-on-demand. Web events are on-line workshops that will be broadcasted on internet, with some possibilities to ask questions to the speakers. Presentations-on-demand are presentations, including comments, that can be downloaded to be watched at any moment.