Knowledge base

“Digital Process Chain for Energy Renovations Using Prefabrication”

Duration: 1.01.2025 – 31.12.2028

The DigiFab project will create a fast, cost-effective renovation process using: 1) a digital workflow with co-creation methods; 2) adaptable prefabricated modules featuring passive and active technologies to reach NZEB standards; and 3) BIM-based software for assessment and automation. Renovations will take just 2 days per 200 m² unit and cost 30% less than traditional methods.

The fully digital process – from design to completion – will minimize delays and costs by collecting accurate data, involving occupants early, and creating digital twins for optimized design. Prefabricated modules will be produced using modern construction methods and tailored to each project. They will use sustainable materials, smart energy systems, and be installed with site-specific adjustments monitored via technologies like laser scanning. The process will also track waste and noise, ensuring environmental compliance. The proposed solution will be demonstrated in Spain, Austria, and Greece across diverse building types.

In the DigiFab project, ASM plays a key role in incorporating social sciences and stakeholder engagement into the renovation process:

• Co-creation with end users: ASM leads the development and application of a co-creation approach to gather and integrate feedback from building occupants and stakeholders into the renovation design process ensuring the voice of end users is central to the renovation workflow, supporting better design decisions, higher satisfaction, and stronger adoption of DigiFab solutions. This includes conducting workshops, interviews, and surveys to assess user expectations and satisfaction with indoor environmental quality (IEQ) before and after renovation.
• Exploitation and commercialisation: ASM contributes to development of the exploitation and commercialisation strategy for effective implementation of the proposed solution to the market.

“Flexible hybrid electrical systems for sustainable process intensification on-demand and where required”

Programme: Horizon Europe

Duration: 1.01.2025 – 30.06.2028

flexhyon.eu

FLEXHYON aims to replace fossil fuels in industry with smart, fully electric heating technologies like microwaves, heat pumps, and ultrasound. These will be used in three types of industrial processes: fast drying of solid materials, drying of grains, and extracting substances from crushed materials. Three improved prototypes will be created and tested in real industrial settings – in ceramic production, animal feed production, and biomass processing.

The FLEXHYON solutions will exhibit significantly higher energy efficiency in comparison to traditional fossil fuel-based heating technologies, therefore leading to a reduction in GHG emissions, maximizing primary energy savings, and enabling higher production flexibility (e.g. production on-demand, production on-site).

In the FLEXHYON project ASM plays a key role in impact-driven activities ensuring the solutions reach market readiness and societal acceptance:

• KPI monitoring and impact assessment: ASM participates in KPI tracking related to business outcomes, assesses exploitation routes and economic viability of results.
• Dissemination & Communication: ASM leads planning and execution of communication strategies, develops promotional materials, newsletters, and manages the website as well as coordinates stakeholder engagement through Living Labs workshops.
• Market analysis and exploitation: ASM conducts market research, develops business model and exploitation strategy as well as prepares Intellectual Property Rights’ strategies.
• Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) integration: ASM applies a co-creation approach involving stakeholders and end-users, analyzes the social impact and acceptance of new heating technologies, considering factors like gender and age.

“European City Squared: Computational Social Science Simulation for Democracy”

Programme: Horizon Europe

Duration: 1.01.2025 – 31.12.2027

eurocity2.eu

The European City Squared project will use real and synthetic data with advanced computational social science to create an agent-based simulation platform. By combining science, technology, and social choice theory, the project will test different voting methods—especially Quadratic Voting. This innovative system could improve how public goods are distributed and encourage cooperation, helping reduce polarization and build trust in government. The project brings together scientists, city officials, universities, entrepreneurs, and civil society to deliver new insights and practical tools for more efficient and participatory democratic processes.

In the EuropeanCIty² project, ASM is responsible for several key tasks:

• Communication, dissemination and engagement: ASM ensures the project's results are effectively shared with stakeholders and the public including creating and managing websites, social media, promotional materials, and events for public and stakeholder engagement.
• Co-definition of research and market needs: involving social sciences and humanities (SSH) in research performance, applying methods from social sciences and humanities to evaluate the effect of new democratic mechanisms like Quadratic Voting, societal impact assessment and stakeholder engagement,

"ENCODE – Unveiling emotional dimensions of politics to foster European democracy"

Programme: Horizon Europe

Duration: 1.06.2024 – 31.05.2027

The ENCODE project, seeks to enhance democratic governance in Europe by examining the role of emotions in political decision-making. The project aims to create positive emotional narratives that address the emotional needs of European citizens. It challenges the traditional view that politics should be purely rational, instead recognizing that emotions are integral to political discourse. ENCODE proposes the concept of "affective pluralisation" to transform political environments by encouraging emotional engagement while maintaining democratic competition. The project investigates how social media amplifies emotions and spreads disinformation, employing advanced methodologies like face-tracking and biometric research to study emotional responses. By understanding the link between emotional responses and the appeal of populist and conspiracy theories, ENCODE aims to develop strategies to mitigate their impact. The project also explores how European identities and values can foster positive emotional responses,

In the ENCODE project, ASM is responsible for several key tasks:

• Project Management and Coordination: Which focuses on project and risk management, quality assurance, data management, and ethics. This involves overseeing the technical, scientific, and administrative coordination of the project, ensuring that the research activities align with ethical guidelines, and managing the collection, storage, and handling of research data.
• Neuroscience research: This task is dedicated to understanding citizen emotional responses through biometric and qualitative research. This includes developing methodologies to elicit emotions, conducting neurobiological measurements, and performing in-depth interviews. The results are synthesized into emotional maps that depict the discrepancies between affects and emotions at the country level.