Caleche

Name

Caleche

Legal name

Caleche Project

Website

https://calecheproject.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Building Renovation Research

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Home Renovation & Preservation (HSAPAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Energy Efficiency & Weatherization Retrofit (HSAPAEAF), Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

Keywords

• Historic building renovation
• Energy efficiency retrofit
• Heritage conservation
• Decision support systems
• Building integrated photovoltaics

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. European Union Horizon Europe Grant: CALECHE is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme (Grant Agreement No. 101123321) and co-funded by the Swiss Confederation. The project was launched in October 2023 and runs for 36 months. As a research initiative, it does not generate commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CALECHE is a Horizon Europe research project that develops retrofit solutions and a multi-benefit Decision Support System (DSS) for the energy-efficient renovation of historic buildings across Europe. It integrates AI/ML, Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM), bio-insulation materials from vegetable waste, heritage-compatible Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), and on-site measurement tools (WUM-box, IAQ monitor) to help building owners, engineers, and architects select renovation scenarios that preserve cultural heritage while improving energy performance. Outputs are validated at four demonstration sites in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, and France.

Product overview

CALECHE is a research project under Horizon Europe focused on sustainable renovation of historic European buildings. The core offering consists of a Decision Hub incorporating a multi-benefit Decision Support System (DSS), complemented by a Technique Showcase featuring three main solution areas: Interior Bio-insulation with high hygrometric performance, Historic Window Conservation Methodology, and Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). Additional tools include the WUM-box for on-site window thermal assessment. The project operates across four demonstration sites in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, and France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Decision Support System (DSS) An IT-based system available in Beta version that synthesizes CALECHE research outputs including gap analysis, best practice recommendations, decision trees, and digitalization strategies (AI and machine learning) to evaluate renovation scenarios for historic buildings. Targeted at owners, engineers, and architects.
• WUM-box (Window U-value Measurement box) A movable prototype device that measures the thermal transmittance (U-value) of historic windows directly on site, enabling realistic in-situ thermal performance assessment. For use by building professionals assessing heritage windows.
• Interior Bio-insulation System Insulating plaster and mineral coating for internal use based on vegetable waste (hazelnut shells, almond shells, corn) developed by VIMARK. Improves thermo-hygrometric performance of historic buildings, reduces carbon footprint, and maintains compatibility with historic building materials.
• Historic Window Conservation Methodology A methodology for conserving and repairing windows in historic buildings that balances heritage value conservation with energy performance, using techniques distinct from those applied to new buildings. For architects and conservators working on heritage buildings.
• Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) for Heritage Photovoltaic integration solutions specifically designed for historic buildings, including terracotta and red modules and tiles tested at CEA's PV-test-roof facility, increasing public acceptance of introducing renewable energy into heritage buildings.
• IAQ Monitor (Indoor Air Quality Monitor) An Indoor Air Quality monitor designed, developed, calibrated, and evaluated by CERTH for cultural heritage buildings to address preservation needs for materials sensitive to temperature, humidity, and air pollutants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Solar potential of Le Locle estimated at 96.08 GWh/year and La Chaux-de-Fonds at 277.90 GWh/year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CERTH (Centre for Research and Technology – Hellas)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025CERTH joined the CALECHE consortium from June 2025. It enriches the DSS workplan in terms of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) guidelines, designs, develops, calibrates, and evaluates an IAQ monitor, and validates the innovative bio-insulation material for volatile organic compound emissions.
• CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023CEA is the CALECHE project coordinator. It leads WP6 dealing with the four use cases to test CALECHE developments and the Decision Support System on real cases. CEA explores new possibilities for installing PV modules on historic buildings with heritage compatibility (printing and surface treatment). CEA's experimental facilities (including the FACT facility and PV-test-roof facility) are used to test insulating systems and innovative PV modules.
• CEREMA (Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Urban Planning)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023CEREMA is a major French public agency providing expertise in urban planning, ecological and energy transition. It contributes to gathering and analyzing existing tools and methodologies, managing the historic windows assessment, contributing to technical analysis of use cases, and disseminating results via its CREBA resource center for responsible retrofit of historic buildings.
• EURAC ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023EURAC Research, based in Bolzano, Italy, leads WP4 on developing retrofit solutions. It assesses regulations for building retrofits, establishes a repository of retrofit solutions, develops decision support tools, enhances historic wooden windows for energy efficiency, provides hygrothermal testing lab data for material simulations, and develops the WUM-box (Window U-value Measurement box) prototype.
• STRESS (Società Consortile a responsabilità limitata)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023STRESS is a non-profit public-private consortium and the implementing body of the High Technology District on Sustainable Building in central-southern Italy. It leads WP5 on Digitalisation of the decision-making approach (AI, HBIM, web-based tools) and coordinates HBIM activities on Villa Matarazzo with UNINA.
• Institut Arthur Piaget (IAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023IAP is an independent research institution based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It explores the notions of 'heritage value' and 'sustainability' from humanities and social sciences perspectives, provides historical perspectives, and contributes to understanding mechanisms linked to energy restoration of historic buildings.
• University of Napoli Federico II (DiARC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023DiARC (Department of Architecture) collaborates with STRESS to define a multi-criteria approach for energy recovery of historic buildings. It develops a BIM protocol and HBIM model of Villa Matarazzo that can be linked to the Decision Support System, producing a scan2BIM model specific to historical heritage characteristics.
• FEDERCOSTRUZIONIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023FEDERCOSTRUZIONI is the Italian Federation representing the construction chain (over 40,000 companies through 13 member associations). It actively promotes innovation and digitization for the construction sector at national and European levels.
• MTU (Munster Technology University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023MTU's People Behaviour & Technology Integration (PBTI) team leads WP3 on social engagement and continuous co-design. MTU develops and coordinates a consistent socio-historical and social sciences (SSH) approach across all project work packages and all four pilot sites to achieve the highest acceptance and involvement.
• VIMARKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023VIMARK is an Italian SME manufacturing construction materials and systems. It develops a system of insulating plaster and mineral coating for internal use based on products with vegetable waste (hazelnut shells, almond shells, corn) suitable for improving thermo-hygrometric capabilities in compliance with cultural heritage protection regulations.
• STBA (Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023STBA is a UK organisation committed to developing policies, guidance, and training for traditional buildings. It conducts literature reviews, reviews existing tools, engages stakeholders, and drafts specifications for a multi-criteria decision support system tool hosted on the Historic Renovation Hub.
• LMNT ConsultancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023LMNT Consultancy (Switzerland) focuses on zero-carbon society and sustainable world. It conducts multi-benefit decision-making analyses, evaluates best practices for integrating green technologies (photovoltaic systems) into heritage, analyses heritage value, and leads the project's communication efforts.
• Effin'ArtminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Effin'Art is a Swiss consulting firm specializing in climate engineering. It implements energy concepts to limit energy needs while respecting comfort criteria and implementing economical energy production with minimal environmental impact, working in close collaboration with architects, project owners, and HVAC technical offices.
• ETT (part of Deda Group)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2023ETT is a digital and creative industry with expertise in big data, smart sensors, ICT, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality. Within CALECHE, it develops artificial intelligence algorithms for building analysis and the Decision Support System mock-up, and ensures data security within the DSS.
• R2M SolutionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023R2M Solution is a multinational company operating in Italy, Spain, France, and the UK, specializing in energy efficiency and built environment intelligence. It coordinates cultural heritage renovation activities through training, standardization, and dissemination, and supports the project coordinator with administrative, financial, and contractual management.
• Dowel InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Dowel Innovation is a French cooperative consulting company specializing in Innovation Strategy and Management for environmental transition, low carbon energy systems, and sustainable cities. It facilitates interaction with external stakeholder groups for co-design and evaluates user experience of the DSS tool.
• White ArkitektercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023White Arkitekter is one of Scandinavia's leading architecture firms with around 700 employees, committed to climate neutrality by 2030. It contributes expertise in historic building re-use and renovation, sustainable solutions for energy performance, and coordinates activities in Sweden related to Donner House (Donnerska Huset) in Visby's UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Lund University LTH (Faculty of Engineering)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Lund University, founded in 1666, is represented by the Department of Building & Environmental Technology. LTH leads WP2 on gap analysis and best practice recommendations, contributes with aspects of circularity and LCA best practices, works on renovation solutions for building services improvement, and contributes to the decision model for the four use cases.
• INHERIT ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Sister project addressing the preservation, restoration, and management of cultural heritage buildings using an integrated methodology based on social, scientific, and technological processes, with 11 ICT-based services demonstrated at 8 cultural heritage sites across Europe.
• HeriTACE ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023A Horizon Europe sister project aimed at transforming heritage townhouse buildings into energy-efficient assets while preserving historical integrity. Develops holistic assessments, optimal design approaches, durable insulation solutions, smart HVAC concepts, and integrated energy supply solutions.
• HERIT4AGES ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023A sister project developing and validating user-centric and data-driven retrofitting solutions for resilient, energy-efficient, low emission, and inclusive cultural heritage. Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101123175.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• White Arkitekter: Scandinavian architecture firm (~700 employees) committed to climate neutrality by 2030, coordinating CALECHE's Donner House activities. Comparable as a practice integrating sustainability expertise with heritage building re-use.
• EURAC Research: Bolzano-based research centre leading CALECHE's retrofit-solutions work package and operating labs (Façade System Interactions Lab, Hygrothermal Testing Lab). A core CALECHE partner but also an independent research peer with overlapping built-heritage energy-efficiency portfolio.
• HeriTACE Project: Horizon Europe sister project aimed at transforming heritage townhouse buildings into energy-efficient assets while preserving historical integrity. Shares CALECHE's deep-renovation-plus-heritage-preservation mandate and EU policy-influence pathway.
• Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA): UK organisation developing policies, guidance, and training for traditional building retrofit; CALECHE partner but also an independent peer producing overlapping decision-support tools and stakeholder engagement for heritage renovation.
• INHERIT Project: Horizon Europe sister project focused on preservation, restoration, and management of cultural heritage buildings using an integrated social-scientific-technological methodology, with 11 ICT-based services across 8 European cultural heritage sites. Directly comparable mission and funding framework to CALECHE.
• HERIT4AGES Project: Horizon Europe sister project (Grant Agreement No. 101123175) developing user-centric, data-driven retrofitting solutions for resilient, energy-efficient, low-emission, and inclusive cultural heritage — a near-twin funding/mission profile to CALECHE.

Others

• ICOMOS: International Council on Monuments and Sites, the principal global advisory body on cultural-heritage conservation theory, doctrine, and charters. Sets the heritage standards that CALECHE's renovation solutions must comply with across demo countries.
• Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE): Independent European think-tank providing data, analysis, and policy guidance on building energy performance, including heritage-specific renovation policy. Adjacent ecosystem player informing the same EU regulatory environment CALECHE targets.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust: One of Europe's largest heritage-property owners and operators with established sustainability/energy-efficiency programs across its historic building portfolio. A broad incumbent shaping heritage-renovation standards and supply chains that CALECHE outputs must address.
• Getty Conservation Institute: Major US-based heritage conservation research institution producing reference guidance on building conservation, energy performance, and sustainable retrofits of historic structures — overlapping CALECHE's research and policy-dissemination remit at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CalecheProject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caleche-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/caleche_project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Caleche