Researching social factors of Smart Buildings

AUPEX is a non-profit organisation founded in 1992, representing 220 rural municipalities in Extremadura (Spain) and operating as a network for education, culture and digital transformation in rural areas. Its core areas of work include culture, education, environmental awareness, civic participation, and digital and social inclusion, with a mission focused on promoting equal opportunities and empowering citizens towards sustainable and inclusive development. AUPEX has a strong operational capacity, with 290 staff members, over 100,000 participants reached annually, and more than 30 years of training experience across all age groups.

AUPEX could contribute user-centred research and SSH expertise by analysing how diverse socio-demographic groups interact with smart building technologies and their impacts on energy use, comfort, health and well-being. It could provide living labs and real-life validation environments through community buildings, engage diverse and vulnerable user groups via its network of Popular Universities, and translate research outcomes into actionable guidance, training materials and communication tools to support the uptake of people-centric, energy-efficient smart building solutions.