Bringing innovative building envelope solutions to market is rarely a straightforward process. Access to specialised testing facilities, uncertainty around certification pathways, limited contact with technical experts and the cost of validation can all slow down promising technologies.

Through two Open Calls, MEZeroE gave external innovators access to a European network of testing infrastructures, technical expertise and Open Innovation Services. The objective was not only to support individual products, but also to test how a distributed innovation ecosystem could help companies move more efficiently from development to validation and market readiness

Open Calls at a glance

The Open Calls attracted SMEs, start-ups, manufacturers and technology developers from across Europe. Their projects addressed challenges ranging from energy efficiency and renewable energy integration to circularity and indoor environmental quality.

A truly European innovation ecosystem

Participants came from 14 countries across Southern, Central, Northern and Western Europe. Italy represented the largest share, followed by Poland, Spain, Switzerland and Austria, with additional participation from the Netherlands, Germany, France, Slovenia, Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This geographical diversity confirms that the need for accessible testing, validation and innovation support is shared across European markets.

Supporting many forms of building-envelope innovation

The selected projects covered six main technology families:

■ Insulation

■ Glazing and frames

■ Active solar energy systems

■ Cladding systems

■ Coatings and finishes

■ Optical fibers

The largest groups were active in solar technologies, insulation, glazing and frame systems, and cladding. Together, they illustrate the breadth of innovation taking place across the building-envelope value chain. The support requested was equally diverse.

From testing to tangible progress

MEZeroE services helped participating companies validate technologies, address certification and regulatory requirements and prepare innovative solutions for the market.

Beneficiaries highlighted access to specialised infrastructures, technical expertise and closer collaboration with laboratories as important benefits of the programme. Survey results also showed that service providers played a significant role in refining testing requirements and defining the most appropriate development approach, with scores reaching 4.7/5 for laboratory testing and 5.0/5 for Open Innovation Services.

Lessons from the Open Calls

The experience highlighted several conditions for making distributed innovation ecosystems work effectively. Early interaction between innovators and technical experts helps define the right testing strategy. Strong coordination is essential when several laboratories and service providers are involved. At the same time, innovative products require flexibility: standard testing procedures or regulatory pathways are not always available for novel technologies.

The surveys also showed high levels of satisfaction with coordination and delivery, including an average score of 4.8/5 for coordination across multiple tests, laboratories and providers.

Three lessons:

Engage early -> Coordinate effectively -> Stay flexible

Beyond the Open Calls: a network companies want to keep using

Perhaps the strongest indication of MEZeroE’s future value comes from the beneficiaries themselves.

79% of respondents — 23 out of 29 — said they would use MEZeroE services again under a feebased model. Many also anticipated recurring use, most commonly once a year or every two years.

Their expectations also go beyond testing. Future demand includes certification and regulatory support, technical consultancy, long-term performance monitoring and matchmaking with investors, customers and strategic partners. The Open Calls therefore demonstrated something broader than the usefulness of individual testing services. They showed the value of an integrated European pathway connecting innovators with the right expertise, infrastructure and innovation support through a coordinated network.

From technology development to testing

From validation to certification

From innovation to market

That may ultimately be one of MEZeroE’s most important outcomes: demonstrating how a distributed European innovation ecosystem can help promising technologies move forward more efficiently. The Building Envelope Alliance (BEA) will build on this experience, providing a pathway for the network, expertise and services developed through MEZeroE to continue beyond the project.