PV panels or a heat pump? We developed an additional advice module for the Woningpas

The Woningpas collects all information about a property in one place. But what if that digital passport not only reports, but also advises? Automated, yet tailor-made. We built an extra module on top of the existing architecture that makes this possible.

About Demo-BLog

Demo-BLog is a European project exploring how Digital Building Logbooks can accelerate energy-efficient renovations. By unlocking and centralising building data, the project helps turn information into tailored and actionable advice.

About The Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA)

The Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA, Vlaams Energie- & Klimaatagentschap, in Dutch) is a government agency of the Flemish Region under the Flemish Ministry of Environment. It is tasked with the preparation and execution of Flemish energy policy and climate policy.

At Europe's request: extra guidance to make the right decision

If you have ever (re)built, then you know that it involves a lot of paperwork: permits, certificates, reports... 

That is why there is a digital passport: the Woningpas. Freely translated: the Housing passport.It collects all that information in one place.

But what if the Woningpas could do more than just centralise data? If we collect all that data, could we use it for something more? To determine which energy investment would pay off best for your building, for instance.

That is exactly what VEKA asked us to explore. As part of the Demo-BLog project, a European pilot that investigates how Digital Building Logbooks can help homeowners make smarter energy choices. Our task: make it possible within the existing architecture to give advice on neighbourhood initiatives regarding renewable energy. In a first phase for the integration of heat pumps. In a second phase for solar panels.

From fragmented data to tailored advice.

Step 1: collecting all the data. Like the data from the EPC, for example, the energy report of a building. There were several data points like this that we had to bring together. That data was scattered among different parties.

Together with VEKA, we mapped all data sources. We then made APIs that retrieve and standardise all that data from the various (government) bodies. Not a straightforward job, as the data is often structured differently. Some energy cooperatives, for instance, still work with manual processes and Excel lists.

Step 2: drawing out and integrating a decision tree. 

Pieter Swennen, solution engineer at ACA Group: “Using all that data, we made a query that determines whether a heat pump or solar panels are interesting for a house. Is that the case? Then, along with the advice, we also show municipal actions based on the postcode. Such as group purchases or neighbourhood initiatives.” 

Step 3: visualisation. As accessible and clear as possible. So that the effort for the owner to take the next step is as small as possible.

As a result, the user receives: 

• Advice tailored to his or her building.
• Direct links to local energy cooperatives and relevant projects.
• Personalised guidance pathways through energy cooperatives.
• Access to group purchases.

One of the decision trees we defined and integrated. This specific tree determines whether a heat pump is interesting or not, on the basis of the year of construction, among other things. Based on the address, we check whether there is a relevant group purchase available.

The screen that shows if your building is eligible for a neighbourhood initiative.

Home match with demo moments

Pieter: “This project was a home match for us. About eight years ago, we ourselves developed the digital platform for the Woningpas. Since then, we have kept on developing. With new features, new modules and new integrations... Today, we are still reaping the benefits of the strategic choices we made back then. There is a solid foundation on which we can build further.” 

“As for any project, we started with a pre-analysis, because there are different ways to go about this module. Thanks to such an analysis, we are sure that the functional and the technical are optimally aligned. And that we are making the best possible choices for VEKA.”

Some musts for this project:

• Being able to add modules quickly without disrupting existing operations. 
• Use of feature flags allowed us to roll out this module as a pilot. Without impacting the wider user base.
• Robust foundation for future modules and European scale-up.

“The Woningpas is a shared initiative. VEKA acts as product owner, but that does not take away from the fact that there are a lot of stakeholders. That is why we organised several demo moments in which energy houses and energy cooperatives could provide their feedback.” 

This allowed us  to further refine the user experience and functionality. “At the same time, it aligns all parties involved. That is why at key moments, we as a developer come to the foreground. Together with VEKA, as one team.”