S3-UNICA

The S3 UNICA project – “Smart Specialization UNivecity Campus” – Smart Specialization in cities and on university campuses is funded by the European Union INTERREG EUROPE 2014-2020 Program and its main objective is to improve Energy Efficiency in buildings and in the infrastructures of the University Campuses, promoting an improvement of the symbiosis with territorial development, and the development of innovative solutions along the value chain associated with energy saving, the development of smart grids both in cities and in cities. University campuses

More specifically, within the framework of the S3 UNICA project, an Action Plan will be developed through cooperation between European regions. This comprehensive action plan in each of the regions involved in the project will address the following challenges:

• Improvement in the management of energy demand on university campuses through greater use of home automation, and the use of ICTs, reduction of demand peaks, reducing the necessary infrastructure and reducing system losses.
• Promotion of new technologies on university campuses that include renewable generation as well as the development of smart grid infrastructure.
• Improvements in legislation and new energy financing and promotion formulas for university campuses, with the inclusion of the concept of “smart development”
• Improvement of the instruments for monitoring energy projects on university campuses.
• Training programs aimed at training the energy managers of university buildings;
• Facilitate the efficient use of energy by the university community and citizens in general.

The S3 UNICA project has a budget of more than 1.5 million euros, financed in 85% with European Funds of the Interreg Europe Program- in its fourth Call of June 22th, 2019-, and has a duration of 4 years (1^st of August 2019 – 31^st Juy 2023).

The Andalusian Energy Agency in the project.

The Andalusian Energy Agency is the regional partner of Spain at the project and is responsible for coordinating the actions with the Andalusian Universities and research centers that will participate in the elaboration of the Action Plan.

In addition, the Agency, as leader of the European Partnership for Sustainable Construction, will coordinate the actions of this project with the actions carried out with the Smart Campus project because the results of the project are highly replicable in other European universities, as well as in other areas such as technology parks, shopping and entertainment centers, ports, and sustainable actions in neighborhoods of different European countries.

Project partners

S3 UNICA partners share the need to provide solutions to energy efficiency on university campuses, with diverse university campuses and different technological and regulatory situations. The project aims to address, through a common methodology and the exchange of best practices, a comprehensive energy improvement program of the European university campuses, with shared solutions applicable in university campuses across Europe. The project partners in the different countries are:

• SPAIN, ANDALUCIA: Andalusian Energy Agency and Andalusian University Institute of Home Automation and Energy Efficiency of the University of Malaga.
• ITALY, REGION OF FRIULIA VENEZIA GIULIA: General Directorate of Environment and Energy of the Autonomous Region of Frulia, Venezia and Giulia (Coordinator), as well as the Universities of Udine and Trieste.
• FINLAND, REGION OF SOUTH KARELIA: Regional Council of Southern Karelia and the Technological University of Lappeenranta.
• ROMANIA, PROVINCE OF ALBA: Local Energy Agency of Alba
• POLAND: Association of Municipalities Polish Network “Energie Cités”.

The S3 UNICA project has a group of interested entities at the regional level that will contribute their knowledge and opinions in the preparation of working documents and experiences, specifically in the drafting of the project action plan in Andalusia. This will participate in the project as stakeholders, relevant entities of the quadruple helix (administration, research centers, companies and citizens) that will contribute to the project’s tasks.

Thus, the General Directorate of European Funds DGFE, as the Operational Program Management Authority, is responsible for coordinating the Operational Program and will participate in the meetings and in the preparation of the road map; as well as other public authorities and knowledge agents actively participate in the development of the planning strategy instruments of the Junta de Andalucía, namely the RIS3 of Andalusia, the Energy Strategy of Andalusia 20142020 and the Sustainable Construction Plan, Horizon 2020, and therefore have been included; Business associations and the Andalusian University Institute of Home Automation and Energy Efficiency of the University of Malaga will contribute to the development of initiatives related to research, business development and professional skills training. The 10 Andalusian universities and the Association of Andalusian public universities will contribute as main stakeholders, providing technology and basis for the improvement of pilot projects. The Redeja network will also contribute to the replication of results among near 5000 buildings, with an extensive network of energy managers. Agents of knowledge: Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA) participates as an expert. Finally, the measures aimed at citizens will be supported by UCA-UCE Consumers Union of Andalusia and FACUA Consumers in Action.