Development of a network of connected labs and a platform for remote testing of the energy performance of building systems in the Greater Region

Experimentations and validations are essential elements of scientific research, especially on studying and improving the energy performance of buildings. Different types of specialized laboratories exist to carry out such experiments, particularly in the Greater Region: the cross-border region extending over Wallonia in Belgium, Grand-Est region in France, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland in Germany, and Luxembourg. The equipment of those labs is closely linked to their individual focus on energy performance research and is to date only operable on site. In the framework of the European program Interreg V-A Greater Region, the “RCC/KN” (Climate Chambers Network) project was funded in order to participate to the specific goal of the program consisting in strengthening cross-border cooperation in the field of research in the Greater Region. The aim of the project is to connect laboratories in a network that involves classic aspects of exchanging experiences, practices or researchers but also aims at implementing a remote connection between labs. Here the remote connectivity between laboratories is intended to allow sharing their different equipment based on a messaging platform and the use of emulation techniques. The platform is going to provide real time data exchange to perform remote tests between the connected labs on the network. The connection between the different sites has to be tested in order to continue towards an experimental phase involving the connected laboratory equipment and resources. The present paper aims to describe the development of the messaging platform and to present the first outcomes of preliminary connection tests between involved labs. The potential applications and contributions of the network are described as perspectives of the research.