Launch of the Building Envelope Alliance: a European response to the fragmentation of innovation in the area of building envelopes
The new European network, which includes the TECNALIA applied research and technological development centre, is made up of research institutions, universities and innovation accelerators
30 June 2026. Research, experimentation, training and market access are still, all too often, disconnected within the building envelope sector, which slows down the development and adoption of innovative, sustainable and circular solutions.
For companies, designers and industry professionals, identifying the right expertise, infrastructure and services throughout the innovation process is often a complex, fragmented, difficult process.
The Building Envelope Alliance (BEA) was set up to address this need
- The new European network brings together research institutions, universities and innovation accelerators with complementary expertise and infrastructure.
- The aim of the Alliance is to provide a one-stop shop for consultancy, testing, performance validation, specialist training and technology transfer services, while supporting the development of solutions for building envelopes from the initial stages of research and proof of concept right through to market launch.
- The purpose of the network is to serve as a point of reference for designers, construction companies, building managers and other professionals in the sector who need simpler, more effective innovation tools right now.
- The BEA aims to bridge the gap between technological development and practical application by collaborating with organisations that are active in various European regions, and coordinating specialist knowledge, laboratories and training programmes.
Founding members of the BEA
The founding members of the BEA include research institutions and organisations from various European countries, including the TECNALIA applied research and technological development centre from Spain.
The Building Envelope Alliance integrates and builds on the activities of the European Façade Network (EFN), a pioneering network in the field of training on façades, by bringing its knowledge and experience to the new European ecosystem.
TECNALIA: a founding member
TECNALIA is one of the founding members of this new association and, as such, will be on its Board of Directors.
At the same time, it will lead one of the internal Technical Committees, which will focus on monitoring standards and regulations, so that the end requirements are factored in from the early design stages and to assist in decision-making, in order to ensure that innovative and disruptive solutions and technologies are implemented in the building envelope sector.
Participation in the network is open to companies, professionals and organisations, who can access the services provided by network members and find opportunities for collaboration, training and professional development through a single point of contact in Europe.
The Building Envelope Alliance draws on the experience gained through the European MEZeroE project, which is dedicated to developing energy-efficient buildings.
- Further information is available on the Building Envelope Alliance website