About Project
ENPOWER – Enhancing Scientific Capacity for Energy Poverty strengthens research and innovation excellence, international networking capacity, and societal impact of the University of Banja Luka in the field of energy poverty, energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable housing, and energy transition.
Enhancing Scientific Capacity for Energy Poverty
ENPOWER – Enhancing Scientific Capacity for Energy Poverty is a Horizon Europe project implemented from 1 September 2024 for a period of 36 months. The project aims to strengthen the scientific reputation, research and innovation excellence, international networking capacity, and societal impact of the University of Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a centre of excellence in the field of energy poverty, energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable housing, and energy transition.
Energy poverty represents an increasing socio-economic and environmental challenge across Europe, especially in regions affected by structural vulnerabilities, limited research capacity, and insufficient access to sustainable energy solutions. In this context, ENPOWER seeks to support transformative change in Bosnia and Herzegovina by enhancing the research capacity of UNIBL in both technical and social sciences and humanities domains.
Building Advisory System Living Lab
A central element of the project is the establishment of the Building Advisory System Living Lab – BAS Living Lab at the premises of the University of Banja Luka. The BAS Living Lab will function as a digital and interdisciplinary collaboration platform, supporting co-creation among academia, policymakers, industry, public agencies, and civil society.
Through this platform, stakeholders will be able to design, test, and develop practical solutions for addressing energy poverty in real-life contexts. The Living Lab will also contribute to fostering the local research and innovation ecosystem and creating a sustainable framework for future cooperation, knowledge transfer, and evidence-based policy support.
Capacity building and applied research
Researcher mobility
Supporting international exchange and professional development of researchers.
Joint research
Promoting multidisciplinary cooperation across technical and social sciences.
Training programmes
Building targeted knowledge, skills, and institutional capacity.
Applied case studies
Testing practical solutions in real-life contexts and stakeholder settings.
ENPOWER is implemented through six work packages and adopts a capacity-building approach that includes researcher mobility, joint multidisciplinary research, institutional networking, targeted training programmes, and applied case studies.
The project focuses on Energy in Buildings Solutions, integrating technical, digital, socio-economic, and governance perspectives. Special attention is given to building retrofitting, renewable energy integration in rural communities, advanced digital energy management systems, smart technologies, data-driven decision-support tools, and the broader socio-economic dimensions of energy poverty.
Research excellence and European integration
Through four applied case studies and cooperation with leading European academic and research institutions, ENPOWER will contribute to improving research excellence at UNIBL and supporting the professional development of both established and young researchers.
At the same time, the project will strengthen UNIBL’s integration into the European Research Area and contribute to smart specialization, green transition, and economic development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Project impact
- Reduction of energy poverty.
- Improvement of living conditions.
- Development of climate-resilient housing systems.
- Socially inclusive and sustainable housing.
European partnership
The ENPOWER consortium consists of five partners from academia and research-oriented organizations. The consortium brings together complementary expertise in building renovation, renewable energy systems, energy poverty, energy audits, digitalization and artificial intelligence, smart buildings, socio-economic research, project management, and policy-oriented analysis.
The total budget of the project is 1,498,443.34 EUR, of which 580,484.98 EUR is allocated to the University of Banja Luka.
Institutional impact and transferable knowledge
By connecting research, education, stakeholder engagement, and policy support, ENPOWER aims to contribute to the reduction of energy poverty, the improvement of living conditions, and the development of climate-resilient, socially inclusive, and sustainable housing systems.
The project demonstrates how excellence-building actions and Living Lab methodologies can generate institutional impact and transferable knowledge for regions facing similar energy and social challenges.