The Algete pilot
Overview
The technologies that are developed within the SINCERE project, following the designing and the laboratory-testing, are evaluated and validated outdoors at a larger scale, on building prototypes (test cells) located in the Demo park at Algete (Madrid) managed by ACCIONA. The Demopark has previously hosted the first full-scale tests on other innovative and sustainable construction materials and practices within relevant EU projects. The prototypes serve as testbeds of the developed materials exposed in real environmental conditions and provide useful information, regarding the practical issues arising, but also give an insight for the overall response of the applied solutions. Four experimental test cells are prepared to apply the materials and technologies and to analyse the thermal performance of the different refurbishment solutions (thermal mortars, radiative cooling coatings) and compare them with non-refurbished conventional old solutions. The North façade is fully isolated to have no influence on the other facades. Energy harvesting materials (BIPVs) and DT for monitoring and performance evaluation are also included in the test buildings.
The casetas
Cooling paints
Description of the experiment: The experiment involves the application of a white cooling paint, developed as part of this project, to the roof of one of the test mock-ups. To evaluate its performance, this paint is compared against commercial alternatives applied to three other roofs: two in standard white and one in terracotta.
Materials: Radiative Cooling Paint.
Energy solutions: the goals for this material are: reduction of surface temperature >15 °C for paints/coatings in the summer, service life of paint > 3 years, >30% reduction of energy demands for cooling during building operation.
ICT tools: This has been incorporated into the BIM model of the mock-ups and is, therefore, reflected in the digital twin.
Monitoring: Continuous thermal monitoring is being conducted both on the exterior surface of the roofing sheets and under the roof sheets. This setup allows for a comparative analysis to assess the cooling efficiency and overall thermal impact of the project-developed paint compared to conventional market options.
What is the goal?: The objective is to quantify the reduction in heat transfer provided by the cooling paint, using surface and under temperature monitoring to benchmark its effectiveness against white and terracotta commercial alternatives.
Current results: The data collected during monitoring reveals a clear difference in temperature (both surface and under-roof) between our cooling paint and the traditional paints currently available on the market
Publications
Many of the SINCERE publications are based on the measurements performed at the Algete site.
L. Kyriakou, A. Rubio-Aguinaga, M.H. Nofalah, L.M. Piarulli Paz, Á. Garcia Molino, L. Ferrara, I. Karatasios, E. Tziviloglou, J.M. Fernández, Í. Navarro-Blasco and J.I. Álvarez, From Laboratory Formulation to In Situ Evaluation: PCM-Enhanced Lime-Pozzolan-Cement Mortars for Thermal Retrofit of Heritage Architecture, Developments in the Built Environment 26:100930, 2026.
The energy retrofitting of heritage buildings is constrained by strict requirements on material compatibility, reversibility, and minimal intervention, limiting the use of conventional insulation systems. In this context, lime-based rendering mortars incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) offer a promising solution for enhancing thermal performance while respecting conservation principles. This study investigates the suitability of PCM-enhanced ternary lime-pozzolan-cement mortars through a combined laboratory and field-scale experimental approach, with particular emphasis on real-scale validation under outdoor conditions. [...] Overall, the findings confirm that PCM-enhanced ternary lime-based mortars can provide passive thermal buffering while maintaining compatibility with heritage substrates, supporting their application in conservation-oriented energy retrofitting strategies.
Events
Algete encounter 2025
Related links
> Algete encounter - video report (youtube)
> The public monitoring platform