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With energy transition setting the ground for innovation and new ways of conducting business, one-stop shops (OSSs) have recently gained momentum in the renovation market. By transforming a complex set of multiple-actor decisions into a single entry and customer-centric service, OSSs have the potential of establishing a bridge between the fragmented demand and supply sides of the traditional renovation value chain. To assess the viability of the OSSs model as a vehicle of accelerating decarbonisation efforts in the European building stock, this paper collects and analyses 63 case studies of OSSs across Europe. The study offers insights into the dynamics of their business model, key benefits and ways forward, by explicitly exploring OSSs’ role in incentivising homeowners to decide to renovate. Our findings show that OSSs can be instrumental in addressing the multitude of barriers that prevent homeowners to renovate. With around 100,000 OSSs projects per year, their activity is expected to substantially contribute to the European renovation targets to rise, subject to favourable policy framework, availability of affordable financing solutions and experience sharing within and across countries. With some OSSs already supporting vulnerable households to renovate, OSSs might be well-placed in the future to contribute to tackle energy poverty by assisting in accessing financing and engaging property owners to renovate.

With energy transition setting the ground for innovation and new ways of conducting business, one-stop shops (OSSs) have recently gained momentum in the renovation market. By transforming a complex set of multiple-actor decisions into a single entry and customer-centric service, OSSs have the potential of establishing a bridge between the fragmented demand and supply sides of the traditional renovation value chain. To assess the viability of the OSSs model as a vehicle of accelerating decarbonisation efforts in the European building stock, this paper collects and analyses 63 case studies of OSSs across Europe. The study offers insights into the dynamics of their business model, key benefits and ways forward, by explicitly exploring OSSs’ role in incentivising homeowners to decide to renovate. Our findings show that OSSs can be instrumental in addressing the multitude of barriers that prevent homeowners to renovate. With around 100,000 OSSs projects per year, their activity is expected to substantially contribute to the European renovation targets to rise, subject to favourable policy framework, availability of affordable financing solutions and experience sharing within and across countries. With some OSSs already supporting vulnerable households to renovate, OSSs might be well-placed in the future to contribute to tackle energy poverty by assisting in accessing financing and engaging property owners to renovate.

This report is the second part of a Europe-wide survey and assessment of one-stop shops (OSS) for energy renovation of buildings. Based on the case studies of 63 OSS in the EU, we find that the approach has a potential to cover 5-6 of the renovation volume of 35 million buildings in 2030 set out by the Renovation Wave Strategy , at low social costs, integrating private investments with client-friendly methods. The current level of activity of the European OSS market is estimated to be around 100 000 projects per year. The OSS can bridge the gap between a fragmented residential building sector, with a large heterogeneous set of households, and the construction supply side. They can help increase the actual renovation rate by supporting potential clients through the various steps of the decision-making process. Their success lies in part with their locally embedded focus, engagement with interested but not yet committed energy users/asset owners and ability to form strong relationships with clients. They can support the renovation journey from start to finish and can facilitate access to financing, occasionally offering better rates. While our analysis identifies several structural, legislative, financial, and information measures with a positive impact on OSS-enabled renovation projects, it is possible to enhance their contribution by reviewing specific policies that support or hinder their success. Although not typical of OSS in general, but with proper incentives, they can improve the average renovation depth in terms of energy performance level by adopting a holistic approach and, at the same time, they can reach out to vulnerable populations, such as tenants of social houses, thus contributing to the alleviation of energy poverty. Finally, OSS can contribute to the enhancement of communities and neighbourhoods. They help current tenants to improve their living conditions and thus stay in the area.

This report is the second part of a Europe-wide survey and assessment of one-stop shops (OSS) for energy renovation of buildings. Based on the case studies of 63 OSS in the EU, we find that the approach has a potential to cover 5-6 of the renovation volume of 35 million buildings in 2030 set out by the Renovation Wave Strategy , at low social costs, integrating private investments with client-friendly methods. The current level of activity of the European OSS market is estimated to be around 100 000 projects per year. The OSS can bridge the gap between a fragmented residential building sector, with a large heterogeneous set of households, and the construction supply side. They can help increase the actual renovation rate by supporting potential clients through the various steps of the decision-making process. Their success lies in part with their locally embedded focus, engagement with interested but not yet committed energy users/asset owners and ability to form strong relationships with clients. They can support the renovation journey from start to finish and can facilitate access to financing, occasionally offering better rates. While our analysis identifies several structural, legislative, financial, and information measures with a positive impact on OSS-enabled renovation projects, it is possible to enhance their contribution by reviewing specific policies that support or hinder their success. Although not typical of OSS in general, but with proper incentives, they can improve the average renovation depth in terms of energy performance level by adopting a holistic approach and, at the same time, they can reach out to vulnerable populations, such as tenants of social houses, thus contributing to the alleviation of energy poverty. Finally, OSS can contribute to the enhancement of communities and neighbourhoods. They help current tenants to improve their living conditions and thus stay in the area.

This report is the second part of a Europe-wide survey and assessment of one-stop shops (OSS) for energy renovation of buildings. Based on the case studies of 63 OSS in the EU, we find that the approach has a potential to cover 5-6 of the renovation volume of 35 million buildings in 2030 set out by the Renovation Wave Strategy , at low social costs, integrating private investments with client-friendly methods. The current level of activity of the European OSS market is estimated to be around 100 000 projects per year. The OSS can bridge the gap between a fragmented residential building sector, with a large heterogeneous set of households, and the construction supply side. They can help increase the actual renovation rate by supporting potential clients through the various steps of the decision-making process. Their success lies in part with their locally embedded focus, engagement with interested but not yet committed energy users/asset owners and ability to form strong relationships with clients. They can support the renovation journey from start to finish and can facilitate access to financing, occasionally offering better rates. While our analysis identifies several structural, legislative, financial, and information measures with a positive impact on OSS-enabled renovation projects, it is possible to enhance their contribution by reviewing specific policies that support or hinder their success. Although not typical of OSS in general, but with proper incentives, they can improve the average renovation depth in terms of energy performance level by adopting a holistic approach and, at the same time, they can reach out to vulnerable populations, such as tenants of social houses, thus contributing to the alleviation of energy poverty. Finally, OSS can contribute to the enhancement of communities and neighbourhoods. They help current tenants to improve their living conditions and thus stay in the area.

With energy transition setting the ground for innovation and new ways of conducting business, one-stop shops (OSSs) have recently gained momentum in the renovation market. By transforming a complex set of multiple-actor decisions into a single entry and customer-centric service, OSSs have the potential of establishing a bridge between the fragmented demand and supply sides of the traditional renovation value chain. To assess the viability of the OSSs model as a vehicle of accelerating decarbonisation efforts in the European building stock, this paper collects and analyses 63 case studies of OSSs across Europe. The study offers insights into the dynamics of their business model, key benefits and ways forward, by explicitly exploring OSSs’ role in incentivising homeowners to decide to renovate. Our findings show that OSSs can be instrumental in addressing the multitude of barriers that prevent homeowners to renovate. With around 100,000 OSSs projects per year, their activity is expected to substantially contribute to the European renovation targets to rise, subject to favourable policy framework, availability of affordable financing solutions and experience sharing within and across countries. With some OSSs already supporting vulnerable households to renovate, OSSs might be well-placed in the future to contribute to tackle energy poverty by assisting in accessing financing and engaging property owners to renovate.

Ground and surface monitoring was carried out during a 1.3 km drive for Barcelona's metro Line 9 in order to optimise TBM parameters to minimise settlement for a future section of the line. The parameters investigated for the EPBM machine were face pressure, shield slurry injection and tail shield grouting. At the beginning of the drive large settlements were recorded but improved EPB management resulted in a systematic reduction of the volume loss during the second stage. The third stage involved excavation under an area of heavy surface traffic and, by adjusting the parameters, settlement was reduced to a minimum with very low soil volume losses in the range 0.3%-0.4%., Ground and surface monitoring was carried out during a 1.3 km drive for Barcelona's metro Line 9 in order to optimise TBM parameters to minimise settlement for a future section of the line. The parameters investigated for the EPBM machine were face pressure, shield slurry injection and tail shield grouting. At the beginning of the drive large settlements were recorded but improved EPB management resulted in a systematic reduction of the volume loss during the second stage. The third stage involved excavation under an area of heavy surface traffic and, by adjusting the parameters, settlement was reduced to a minimum with very low soil volume losses in the range 0.3%-0.4%.

One-week triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori revealed, during these last few years, a decrease in the eradication rate, so that the prolongation of its duration has been proposed. A sequential scheme recently showed very satisfactory results. We performed a prospective randomised study with the aim of either evaluating whether the triple therapy prolongation may improve its effectiveness and comparing its outcome with that of sequential regimen.

Contract 704 of the metro expansion involved excavating a long reach of tunnel which had a complex interface between fresh granite and overlying clayey sand. Two 6.5 m diameter earth-pressure-balanced TBMs were used to bore the tunnels. The machines were designed so that both hard and soft rock could be excavated: the cutter head was equipped with a combination of rippers and disc cutters, and soil conditioning was achieved by delivering foam through a multiple-port injection system. The very irregular profile of the interfaces posed a particular challenge., Contract 704 of the metro expansion involved excavating a long reach of tunnel which had a complex interface between fresh granite and overlying clayey sand. Two 6.5 m diameter earth-pressure-balanced TBMs were used to bore the tunnels. The machines were designed so that both hard and soft rock could be excavated: the cutter head was equipped with a combination of rippers and disc cutters, and soil conditioning was achieved by delivering foam through a multiple-port injection system. The very irregular profile of the interfaces posed a particular challenge.

The discussion relates to Tunnels nos. 6,7, and 8 of the General Main of the Yellow River Diversion Project (Shanxi Province, China). The total tunnel length was just over 21 km, of which some 1.7 km are in soil (loess and red clay), the rest in hard rock. The tunnels, including the soil sections, were excavated using double shield TBMs from Robbins. The performance of the TBMs in the soft formations in terms of advance rates, stoppages and defects is compared with traditional soil tunnelling methods. Both speed and cost are improved, with 8 times the excavation rates achieved with the TBMs compared with traditional methods. 9.1% of the tunnel had quality defects such as offset and vertical settlement, and collapses occurred in loess. There is a compromise between speed, cost and quality, but it is concluded that the risks can be reduced with an adequate knowledge of the geomechanical properties of the soils, The discussion relates to Tunnels nos. 6,7, and 8 of the General Main of the Yellow River Diversion Project (Shanxi Province, China). The total tunnel length was just over 21 km, of which some 1.7 km are in soil (loess and red clay), the rest in hard rock. The tunnels, including the soil sections, were excavated using double shield TBMs from Robbins. The performance of the TBMs in the soft formations in terms of advance rates, stoppages and defects is compared with traditional soil tunnelling methods. Both speed and cost are improved, with 8 times the excavation rates achieved with the TBMs compared with traditional methods. 9.1% of the tunnel had quality defects such as offset and vertical settlement, and collapses occurred in loess. There is a compromise between speed, cost and quality, but it is concluded that the risks can be reduced with an adequate knowledge of the geomechanical properties of the soils