The Train-to-NZEB project is designed to establish a functioning network of training and consultation centres (Building Knowledge Hubs, BKHs), providing practical trainings, demonstrations and complex consulting services for the implementation of nearly-zero energy buildings (NZEB). Using the improved training facilities, the BKHs will provide enhanced capacity for conduction of trainings on curricula developed on BUILD UP Skills II, thus reaching a significant number of workers not covered by the initiative. Additionally, BKHs will offer trainings for highly-qualified building professionals and demonstrations for non-specialists with decision-making authority, which, combined with administrative and financial consultancy service, will result in increased capacity for implementation of NZEB projects in the involved countries. In order to reach this goal, the following objectives are set: 1. Development of publicly available Terms of Reference for the setting up of the BKHs; 2. Adaptation of existing and development of new training programs; 3. Actual setting up of 4 training and consultation centres (BKHs) according to the Terms of Reference; 4. Building of internal capacity through train-the-trainer activities, targeting at least 90 qualified trainers; 5. Actual training courses according to annual training plans, resulting in: (a) 120 training courses for construction workers, targeting additional qualification of 2400 trainees; (b) 24 training courses for highly-qualified building specialists, targeting additional qualification of 480 trainees; (c) 36 training courses for non-specialists, targeting additional qualification of 720 trainees; 6. Strict monitoring and evaluation for constant improvement of the offered services. 7. Setting up of a web-based networking platform providing facilities for knowledge sharing and exchange between the BKHs; 8. Conduction of a targeted dissemination and communication campaign to increase the market demand for NZEB projects.

AWARD recognises the urgency of action due to water scarcity and climate change impacts as well as the need to engage simultaneously the society, the science and the policy into the development of knowledge and strategic water planning. Therefore, AWARD will provide evidence-based solutions to consider AWRs into water supply strategic plans, based on socio-political engagement. The 4 Demo Cases of AWARD are already implementing AWRs (storm water, rainwater and aquifer recharge in Bucharest in Romania as well as in Milano in Italy; water reuse in Cyprus, storm water and rainwater in an industrial park in Santiago di Compostel in Spain). Through the project activities, Demo Cases will consider scaling up their actions taking in account a broader range of AWRs together with conventional water resources for planning future water supply systems at local or regional level using AWARD instruments (Local Water Fora, Digital Platform for decision making, training and guidance). They will address similar issues in a harmonised and coordinated way. Societal awareness to support the decision process on AWRs supply solutions will lead to the recommendations for further use of AWRs encompassing the 4 dimensions of social innovation (Technological, Capacity development, Governance & Policy, Economics & assessment). The AWARD AWRs catalogue will gather the project results and additional solutions which will be benchmarked. The digital platform provided by AWARD will support the exploration of resilient scenarios that will be promoted beyond the scope of the project thanks to dedicated networking activities. AWARD general objective is to provide evidence-based knowledge and lessons learnt on how to effectively integrate affordable, acceptable and reliable AWRs solutions into water supply strategic planning and implementation considering the effect of global changes.

FIWARE is a smart solution platform, funded by the EC (2011-16) as a major flagship PPP, to support SMEs and developers in creating the next generation of internet services, as the main ecosystem for Smart City initiatives for cross-domain data exchange/cooperation and for the NGI initiative. So far little progress has been made on developing specific water-related applications using FIWARE, due to fragmentation of the water sector, restrained by licensed platforms and lagging behind other sectors (e.g. telecommunications) regarding interoperability, standardisation, cross-domain cooperation and data exchange. Fiware4Water intends to link the water sector to FIWARE by demonstrating its capabilities and the potential of its interoperable and standardised interfaces for both water sector end-users (cities, water utilities, water authorities, citizens and consumers), and solution providers (private utilities, SMEs, developers). Specifically we will demonstrate it is non-intrusive and integrates well with legacy systems. In addition to building modular applications using FIWARE and open API architecture for the real time management of water systems, Fiware4Water also builds upon distributed intelligence and low level analytics (smart meters, advanced water quality sensors) to increase the economic (improved performance) and societal (interaction with the users, con-consensus) efficiency of water systems and social acceptability of digital water, by adopting a 2-Tier approach: (a) building and demonstrating four Demo Cases as complementary and exemplary paradigms across the water value chain (Tier#1); (b) promoting an EU and global network of followers, for digital water and FIWARE (cities, municipalities, water authorities, citizens, SMEs, developers) with three complementary Demo Networks (Tier#2). The scope is to create the Fiware4Water ecosystem, demonstrating its technical, social and business innovative potential at a global level, boosting innovation for water.

The WaterWise Excellence Hub is a vibrant, action-oriented initiative that aspires to serve as a catalyst for R&I (creation and uptake), business development, and knowledge dissemination for water in the circular economy (CE). It leverages CE principles to rethink and transform water management in Romania, Greece and selected Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries (MD, SB, AL, NM and UA). WaterWise perceives the water sector not only as sustainable, but also regenerative, emphasizing closed-loop systems, optimal resource use, and reduced waste, in line with EU policies and RIS3 strategies. It is based on a quadruple helix model of innovation, and works at the nexus of technology acceleration, entrepreneurial support and R&I, boosting water innovation in the Region and beyond. To this effect the Hub’s partners co-create an R&I Strategy, an Action and Investment Plan, a FundFinder Portal, a Strategic & Tactical Decisions Toolbox as well as an Operational Decisions Toolbox, setup Water Tech Challenges, develop and launch an Innovation Accelerator, produce LLL Training Courses, create and share a Knowledge Hub and develop and deploy a Mentoring Scheme through a bottom up approach in collaboration with a wide range of key actors and stakeholders across the region. The Hub is empowered by its strong partnership that brings together actors from government, R&I-driven universities and research centres, funding bodies, business, water utilities, SME associations and civil society to create services tailored for post-project sustainability and real-world impact.

Water, energy, food, and ecosystems (WEFE) are interconnected, comprising a coherent system (nexus) dominated by complexity and modulated by climatic and socio-economic drivers. Resource constraints, and their interconnectedness could hamper economic development, including optimal trade, market and policy solutions. Moreover, policy objectives tend to be developed with little consideration to multiple sectors, and policy implementation may change nexus characteristics, in turn affecting actor behaviour and policy formulation. NEXOGENESIS will develop and validate: (a) a coherent cross-sectoral policy-making framework at different scales addressing climate and socio-economic change, as well as stakeholder behaviour and transboundary (diplomacy) issues, developed for and validated by stakeholders, policy makers, and academics; (b) a Self-Learning Nexus Assessment Engine (SLNAE) exploiting reinforcement learning, and supporting streamlining water-related policies into the WEFE nexus; (c) a WEFE Nexus Footprint, accompanying the SLNAE. NEXOGENESIS will apply its approach to four European and one case study in southern Africa. Through the case studies, strong stakeholder engagement and validation of output, NEXOGENESIS will improve policies and policy making processes to enhance cooperation and help the EU achieve targets related to the Water Framework Directive, the greener CAP, Green Deal ambitions, as well as ambitions on water diplomacy. NEXOGENESIS outcomes, both during and after the project, will have a major impact on advancing nexus understanding and governance, resulting in a more innovative and more competitive European Union regarding nexus policy-making, backed up by state-of-the-art evidence. NEXOGENESIS will continue to drive impact after the end of the funding period through dedicated outscaling and exploitation objectives to maximise future impacts and will bring project results to extended group of users via an innovative stakeholder engagement process.