Toolbox

The EXCEL4HOUSING 4.0 Toolbox is a curated collection of tools supporting the training and upskilling of professionals in energy-efficient, circular and digital housing construction. Organised around the building life cycle (from strategy and design to construction, operation and end-of-life), each tool is analysed and documented to help you quickly find the ones that best match your needs, learning profile and stage of work.

Strategy

This first section we will find information on tools that allow for a strategic approach for companies and professionals, providing support in various areas such as market analysis, identification and exploration of business models, planning and management, feasibility analysis, communication, and other aspects.

Strategy

European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform

(European Commission / EESC)

Explore circular economy strategies, good practices and stakeholder knowledge to support smarter planning, business-model thinking and communication for sustainable housing.

Business modelsCircular economyGood practicesStakeholder engagementStrategy
Strategy

Introduction to decarbonized construction (course)

(eOppiva, Granlund Ltd. and Ministry of the Environment of Finland)

The introductory training on Decarbonized Construction delves into the basics of low-carbon construction, and how the industry can shift its practices to meet climate goals. The training covers key terms and concepts such as…

DecarbonizationLow-carbon construction
Strategy

KATCH_e CE STRATEGIST

(KATCH_E Partnership)

CE Strategist tool provides ideas and inspirations along the whole process of business model design in the context of a CE.

Business model CanvasCircular economyStrategy

Planning and Design

This section, focused on the pre-construction phase, encompasses the various activities related to the creation and conceptualization of architectural and building solutions. Focusing on the areas of architecture, design, various engineering disciplines, licensing, and others, the aim is to identify tools that promote the definition of innovative and sustainable solutions and that equip professionals with the means to create and justify their design choices in a well-founded manner.

Planning and Design

Autodesk Forma

(Autodesk Inc.)

Autodesk Forma

AI-powered early-stage planning and environmental analysis platform that enables sustainable, data-driven design decisions before BIM modelling, improving energy performance and supporting digital transformation in construction.

AIBIMDigitalizationEarly-stage designEnvironmental analysis
CommercialMore info ›
Planning and Design

Autodesk Forma

(Autodesk Inc. Turn on screen reader support)

A

Autodesk Forma is a cloud-based planning and early-stage design platform that supports architects, engineers, urban planners and developers in creating more sustainable and data-driven projects. The platform combines AI-assisted design generation with real-time environmental…

AIBIMDigitalizationEarly-stage designEnvironmental analysis
CommercialMore info ›
Planning and Design

Autodesk Revit

(Autodesk, Inc.)

Autodesk Revit

Create, coordinate and manage BIM-based building designs with Revit, supporting smarter pre-construction planning, digital modelling and collaboration across architecture, engineering and housing projects.

Architectural DesignBIMDigital ModellingPre-constructionProject Coordination
CommercialMore info ›
Planning and Design

Construction Calculator

(baubook)

Design better building envelopes with confidence. The baubook Construction Calculator helps you compare construction solutions, optimise thermal performance, and choose sustainable materials using verified technical data.

Building Envelope DesignBuilding PhysicsEnergy efficiencySustainable MaterialsThermal Performance
Planning and Design

DGNB Navigator

(DGNB GmbH)

D

The DGNB Navigator is a building product platform that connects manufacturer product information with sustainability aspects and DGNB certification requirements. It can support EXCEL4HOUSING4.0 training by helping learners and professionals understand product characteristics, material…

certificationDGNBmaterial ecologyproduct databasesustainable products
Planning and Design

EC3 Tool

(Building Transparency)

EC3 helps construction teams make carbon-informed material choices using reliable EPD data, supporting embodied carbon reduction and more sustainable procurement decisions in housing projects.

Embodied CarbonEnvironmental Product Declarations (EPDs)Low-carbon materialsMaterial comparisonSustainable procurement
Planning and Design

eLCA – Online Life Cycle Assessment Tool for Buildings

(BBSR / Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning)

e

eLCA is an online tool for life cycle assessment of buildings. It supports project-based ecological assessment using building components and ÖKOBAUDAT datasets. For EXCEL4HOUSING4.0 it is useful for showing learners and professionals how environmental…

building LCAeLCAenvironmental impactslifecycleÖKOBAUDAT
Planning and Design

EnergyPlus

(U.S Department of Energy (DOE) Building Technologies Office)

Simulate and compare building energy efficiency strategies to optimise heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and HVAC performance, supporting smarter design and retrofit decisions for low energy sustainable housing.

Building energy simulationEnergy efficiencyHVAC performanceRetrofit strategiesSustainable housing
Planning and Design

EU Taxonomy Assessment Tool for Buildings

(Green Building Council España (GBCe))

Assess and evaluate building and renovation projects against EU Taxonomy criteria to ensure climate compliance, sustainability alignment, and support for green finance and investment decisions.

Circular economyClimate complianceEU TaxonomyGreen buildingsSustainable finance
Planning and Design

FreeCAD BIM Workbench

(The FreeCAD Project / FreeCAD community)

Plan housing retrofits with FreeCAD BIM Workbench, a free/open-source BIM modelling tool that supports creative renovation design, 3D project development and open digital workflows.

3D DesignBIM ModellingDigitalizationOpenBIM/IFCRetrofit Planning
Planning and Design

IDA ICE

A comprehensive whole-year detailed and dynamic multi-zone simulation application for study of thermal indoor climate as well as the energy consumption of the building. Capable of reading BIM models and dapted to 8 local languages.

ControlsDynamic simulationsEnergy efficiency
CommercialMore info ›
Planning and Design

KATCH_E CE Designer

(KATCH_E Partnership)

For prioritization, assessment and idea finding, the CE Designer constitutes a qualitative tool, which allows an easy integration of circularity strategies in the product and service development process.

AssessmentCircular economyCircularity strategiesDesignProduct development
Planning and Design

KATCH_E CE Designer

(KATCH_E Partnership)

K

Developed within the framework of the European KATCH_e project, aimed at the construction and furniture sector, the CE Designer constitutes a qualitative tool, which allows an easy integration of circularity strategies in the product…

AssessmentCircular economyCircularity strategiesDesignProduct development
Planning and Design

Laskentapalvelut

(D.O.F.Tech)

A simplified tool for analysis of energy efficiency according to Finnish codes

Energy efficiency
Planning and Design

OpenStudio

(U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) / National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

Make building energy simulation accessible — OpenStudio's visual interface brings the full power of EnergyPlus to architects, engineers, and students without coding, enabling evidence-based energy design and retrofit decisions.

Building performanceEnergy efficiencyEnergy simulationHVAC modellingRetrofit analysis
Planning and Design

OpenStudio

(U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) / National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

O

OpenStudio is a free, open-source graphical interface and software development kit (SDK) for whole-building energy simulation, built on the EnergyPlus simulation engine. It provides architects, engineers, educators, and researchers with an accessible, visual environment…

Building performanceEnergy efficiencyEnergy simulationHVAC modellingRetrofit analysis
Planning and Design

PVGIS Photovoltaic Geographical Information System

(EU Science Hub)

PVGIS Photovoltaic Geographical Information System

A web application that allows the user to get data on solar radiation and photovoltaic (PV) system energy production, at any place. PVGIS can be used to make calculations about electricty output with different…

GISlocationssolar power
Planning and Design

Ubakus U-Wert-Rechner

(u-wert.net GmbH / ubakus.de)

U

The Ubakus U-Wert-Rechner is an online building-physics tool for analysing building components layer by layer. It supports calculation and visualisation of U-values, moisture-related aspects and thermal behaviour. Within EXCEL4HOUSING4.0 it can support practical training…

Building PhysicsinsulationmoisturerenovationU-value
Planning and Design

VERDE 2030 Building Sustainability Assessment Tool

(Green Building Council España (GBCe))

Assess and improve building sustainability performance through a life-cycle approach aligned with European sustainability and decarbonisation frameworks.

Building certificationCircular economyEnergy efficiencyLife Cycle AssessmentSustainability assessment

Construction

Tools related to and supporting the construction, development, production, and assembly of buildings, ensuring comprehensive support at various stages of the construction process, will be included in this section.

Construction

DesignBuilder

(DesignBuilder Software Ltd)

D

DesignBuilder is a building-performance modelling and simulation software that provides a graphical interface for the EnergyPlus simulation engine. It enables users to create digital building models and assess energy consumption, heating and cooling demand,…

Building energy simulationEnergy efficiencyHVAC performance
CommercialMore info ›
Construction

Materias Passport – (De)Construct

(LNEG)

The Materials Passport is a digital tool that records the materiasl of a building's components to promote their circularity, reuse, and recycling throughout its entire life cycle.

CircularityMateriaslRecoreryRegistrationsReuse

Operation and Use

Buildings are long-lasting elements that have a series of impacts associated with how they are used and maintained. This section aims to provide tools related to building use, maintenance, renovation and restoration, monitoring, etc., that promote the durability and circularity of the solutions adopted.

Operation and Use

CRREM – Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor

(CRREM Foundation)

CRREM helps housing stakeholders turn operational carbon data into climate-aligned action, identifying carbon risks and guiding retrofit decisions for more resilient, low-carbon buildings.

Carbon riskDecarbonisation pathwaysOperational carbonReal estate assetsRetrofit Planning
Operation and Use

Deepki

(Deepki SAS)

D

Deepki is a European ESG and energy-performance monitoring platform that connects to building meters, sensors and existing data sources to track energy consumption, carbon emissions and water use over time. It centralises portfolio- and…

benchmarkingBuilding performanceCarbon footprintEnergy monitoringESG reporting
CommercialMore info ›
Operation and Use

DGNB Toolbox “Carbon neutral building”

(German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB e.V.))

D

The DGNB Toolbox “Carbon neutral building” provides information, guidance and instruments for designing, building and operating carbon-neutral buildings and districts. It is relevant for EXCEL4HOUSING4.0 because it supports strategic understanding of climate action in…

buildingscarbon neutralityclimate action.CO2 accountinStrategy

End-of-life

Although buildings are long-lasting elements, their end-of-life, due to the diverse materials and solutions that compose them, is a significant concern requiring a systematic and integrated approach. This section aims to identify and provide tools geared towards the end-of-life of buildings, their evaluation and analysis, dismantling and deconstruction, as well as efficient waste management, life cycle assessment, renovation, reuse, among other tools.

End-of-life

CE Analyst

(KATCH_E Partnership)

The CE Analyst quantifies the potential improvements of the environmental profile of a given "linear" product, when different circular scenarios (such as share, repair, reuse) are applied.

AssessmentCarbon footprint
End-of-life

eco2soft

(baubook)

Discover how eco2soft supports sustainable and low-carbon housing through life cycle assessment, helping learners and professionals develop practical digital skills for the buildings of the future.

Circular ConstructionEmbodied CarbonLife Cycle Assessment (LCA)
End-of-life

One Click LCA

(One Click LCA Ltd)

One Click LCA helps housing professionals measure, compare and reduce carbon impacts across the building lifecycle, supporting smarter material choices, circular strategies and more sustainable end-of-life decisions.

Circular economyEmbodied CarbonEnd-of-LifeLife Cycle AssessmentSustainable housing
CommercialMore info ›

Education support

This section presents itself as a cross-cutting group of tools that do not focus on the construction sector, but which play an important role in the training and education of students and professionals, as well as in the development of solutions for the sector. Here, the aim is to identify and provide information that promotes the use of general and agnostic tools for training and education, tools for collaboration, creativity, co-creation, modelling, presentation, research, etc.

Education support

Flourish

(Flourish / Canva UK Operations Ltd)

Turn complex data into clear, interactive stories. Flourish helps users create engaging charts, maps and visual explainers that make technical information easier to understand, teach and communicate.

Data storytellingData visualisationDigital educationInteractive learningSustainability communication
Education support

H5P – Interactive Learning Content Platform

(H5P Group / Joubel AS (community open-source))

Transform your training materials into interactive experiences — H5P lets educators build quizzes, branching scenarios, interactive videos, and more, directly in the browser, no coding needed, fully embeddable in any LMS or website.

Adult educationDigital pedagogyE-learning contentInteractive learningTraining development
Education support

Miro

(Miro / RealtimeBoard, Inc.)

Miro

reate, share and learn visually with Miro, a collaborative digital board that turns training sessions into interactive brainstorming, co-creation and group learning experiences.

BrainstormingCo-creationCollaborationCreativityVisual learning
Education support

NetZeroCities Stakeholders Ecosystem Map (Canvas)

(NetZeroCities / Energy Cities (Christiane Maurer, Blandine Pidoux; Nilofer Tajuddin – RCN))

N

The Stakeholders Ecosystem Map is a downloadable canvas from NetZeroCities that helps teams identify and visualise the actors surrounding a city, project or innovation, grouping them by sector and level of importance. It is…

Ecosystem analysisPartnershipsStakeholder engagement;Stakeholder mappingStrategic planning