Testing Smart Energy Solutions in Real Cases:
SEML Oktave's Role in Technical Validation
In a context where the energy transition is accelerating, high-performance renovation of single-family homes has become an essential lever to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. At the heart of this European dynamic, SEML Oktave—a semipublic energy renovation operator in the Grand Est region—plays a key role in the technical validation of smart solutions tested under real conditions. This work is part of the European FORTESIE program (Efficient, Sustainable and Inclusive Energy).
FORTESIE: European innovation serving renovation
Funded by the Horizon Europe program, FORTESIE aims to design, demonstrate, validate and replicate innovative renovation packages combining renovation best practices with digital technologies for performance measurement, and incentive-based financing mechanisms. These solutions are designed to simultaneously improve energy efficiency, sustainability, and comfort while being tailored to different household profiles.
One of FORTESIE's main pillars is its focus on real-world demonstrations in occupied homes. This is where Oktave comes in, as the field operator responsible for deploying and validating these innovations in individual homes committed to high-performance renovation.
Oktave and real-world testing
Specifically, Oktave has engaged around fifty single-family homes in a unique experiment. Each residence is equipped with two connected thermometers, installed in the living room, as well as a WiFi connection box. This simple and discreet setup continuously monitors indoor temperature, air quality (CO₂), and humidity.
These data are cross-referenced with the households' electricity consumption recorded via their Linky meters to analyze the real impact of renovation on residents' energy usage and comfort.
The testing phase lasts approximately one year, focusing on the winter season, and relies on the voluntary and active participation of residents. They are encouraged to track their energy consumption through a dedicated app developed by a consortium partner, Mon Compte CO₂. The app offers weekly quizzes and challenges designed to raise participants' awareness of their energy behavior, all rewarded with GreenEuros (€G).
A user-centered approach
The objective goes beyond technical performance: FORTESIE also mobilizes social sciences and humanities to understand and encourage the long-term adoption of "green" behaviors. Oktave aligns with this logic by supporting households to avoid rebound effects and showcase the tangible benefits of high-performance renovation.
User feedback, technical data, participant reactions, and engagement insights collected by Oktave will feed into the project's research work and recommendations, for both policymakers and industry stakeholders.
Toward a replicable model across Europe
Oktave's collaboration with FORTESIE illustrates a virtuous dynamic: testing smart solutions in real homes with real residents to achieve measurable impacts. The lessons learned from the French demonstrator will be shared and adapted for other European regions, with a clear objective: to accelerate the renovation wave across the continent.
By engaging in the validation of digital, technical, and behavioral solutions, Oktave does more than operate as a renovation facilitator—it becomes a key innovator in energy transition for the homes of tomorrow.