Nursery in Budapest
Deep energy retrofit with Plug & Play systems in the European StepUP project
Project: Nursery retrofit
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Owner: Municipality of the 18th District of Budapest
Isopan solution: Plug & Play façade modules
Solution partner: Fundermax
From 2019 to 2024, the European Union funded StepUP, a research project dedicated to developing innovative solutions for deep energy renovation of buildings.
The goal was to create a new methodology capable of making decarbonization a reliable investment, combining Plug & Play technologies with digital tools.
StepUP worked to:
- reduce installation time and costs,
- minimize disruption for occupants,
- contribute to the 2050 climate neutrality goals.
Within this framework, Isopan played a key role in developing off-site solutions designed to simplify and speed up energy retrofit interventions. Among the main activities:
- design and production of prefabricated Plug & Play modules tested in real case studies (nursery in Budapest and a pilot at the University of Pamplona with Isopan Ibèrica),
- construction of mock-ups at the production plants,
- obtaining patents for the developed technologies,
- publishing scientific articles.
As part of StepUP, Isopan led the retrofit of a public nursery in Budapest’s 18th district, built in 1952 and characterized by high thermal losses and outdated systems.
The adopted solution was a Plug & Play façade envelope: a prefabricated modular system integrating insulation panels, windows, solar shading, and photovoltaic modules. This technology allows:
• faster and less invasive construction,
• immediate improvement of energy efficiency,
• lower impact on the school’s daily activities.
According to estimates, the façade retrofit reduced heating energy demand by 32%, improving both indoor comfort and emissions.
The nursery was clad with Fundermax HPL panels, composed of 70% cellulose fibers and 30% thermosetting resins.
Thanks to an innovative surface treatment, the panels are compact, decorative, and durable. Their non-porous surface is easy to clean and resistant to graffiti and dirt, while also offering excellent protection against scratches, impacts, weather conditions, and chemicals.
In addition, they guarantee long-term color stability, certified according to EN 20105-A02 and supported by a 10-year European warranty.
The project also included upgrading the HVAC system and installing rooftop solar panels, which can cover the building’s annual energy demand while storing surplus energy for peak consumption. With StepUP’s digital tools, the entire system is intelligently monitored and managed, optimizing consumption and performance.
The overall result? A 77% reduction in the nursery’s energy consumption.
The Budapest project demonstrates how collaboration between industry and research can accelerate the transition toward decarbonized, scalable, and replicable construction across Europe.
Through its contribution, Isopan confirmed its commitment to providing concrete solutions for sustainability and the decarbonization of the existing building stock.
This project has received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 847053.