LNEG Drives Innovation in Zero-Energy Public Buildings with Renewable Trigeneration Microgrids

As an active ESEIA member, LNEG – the National Energy and Geology Laboratory of Portugal – is playing a key role in the Interreg SUDOE IMPROVEMENT project, a cross-border initiative focused on retrofitting public buildings to meet near Zero-Energy Building (nZEB) standards. In collaboration with partners from Portugal, Spain, and France, the project is developing advanced solutions that combine renewable trigeneration (CCHP – Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power), hybrid energy storage, and microgrid systems tailored to buildings with critical energy and comfort requirements.

At the heart of this work is the IMPROVEMENT nZEB Pilot Area, located within a retrofitted 1980s LNEG building in Lisbon. Operated jointly by LNEG and IST, the pilot is a living lab for testing and validating innovative energy management systems. It integrates solar thermal, photovoltaic, and wind energy to supply cooling, heating, and electricity, supported by cutting-edge thermal and electrical storage systems. The recent installation of Phase Change Material (PCM) panels with adaptive ventilation has further enhanced the building’s climate resilience.

Among the project’s recent milestones are:

  • Publication of a position paper on integrating CCHP microgrids in nZEB buildings with critical loads under high power quality requirements (Energy Reports, Vol. 9, Suppl. 3).
  • Completion of two Master’s theses analyzing the thermal management and performance of the LNEG pilot building.
  • Upgrade of the photovoltaic system with high-efficiency bifacial panels, doubling cell count and improving current flow and generation capacity.

The pilot is continuously monitored using an extensive sensor network that tracks comfort, thermal, and electrical performance in real time.

Looking ahead, a hybrid lecture hosted at LNEG in July 2025 will present the latest results from the project to the wider research and policy community.

Learn more:
🔗 IMPROVEMENT Project Website
🔗 LNEG Project Page
📩 Contact: david.loureiro@lneg.pt | joao.correia@lneg.pt

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