New Evaluation Method for Homes of Social, Sustainable and Energy Efficient Interest in the Sudoe Territory – Architecture for Climate – (ARCAS)

The objective of the ARCAS project is to develop a methodology for assisting the evaluation and design of social housing buildings based on criteria of energy poverty, sustainability, energy efficiency and health in the Sudoe territory.
ARCAS is based on the use of similar climatology for the development of a tool that allows, through key indicators, the optimization of the architectural design of buildings.

The objectives of the project are:

• Develop a tool that makes the ARCAS method operational.
• Develop an ARCAS certification procedure and carry out its validation in various buildings in the SUDOE territory.
• Develop reference criteria and indicators so that public administrations can improve future application regulations.

The role of the administration will be on the development of guidelines for the future sustainability of the tool.

The key performance indicators defined in the framework of the project are the delivery of 3 main inputs:
1. The ARCAS tool
2. ARCAS training programme
3. Action plans for the regions where the demonstration buildings belonging to public administrations are located


The project started in October 2019 and will be completed in 2023 and benefits the low-income and energy-poor consumers and national/local authorities. It is coordinated by FECEA (Spain) and the consortium is composed by:

• Government of Cantabria. Consejería de Obras Públicas, Ordenación del Territorio y Urbanismo-local authority
• University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
• La Rochelle Université
• Technological & Innovative Platform for Environmental Efficiency (Tipee)
• University of Minho-university.