A CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) is a type of consensus-driven document developed within the framework of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Unlike formal standards, a CWA is a more flexible and fast-tracked agreement aimed at addressing specific needs or emerging issues. It is created collaboratively by stakeholders, including industry representatives, researchers, and policymakers, in a workshop setting. CWAs are particularly useful for projects or sectors that require timely and practical solutions without undergoing the lengthy formal standardization process. While CWAs are not legally binding, they can serve as a foundation for future standards or act as a reference for best practices within a particular field.
Last week, a CEN Workshop Agreement defining a standardized methodology for on-site Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) audits has been published.
This CWA is the first standardized framework for on-site SRI audits in Europe. It aligns SRI assessments with established energy audit methodologies to ensure harmonization and transparency. It sets competency requirements for SRI auditors, making the process more structured and reliable and it provides a step-by-step methodology for evaluating the smart readiness of buildings.
The work was led by Prof. Paris Fokaides from the Frederick University, Cyprus. He led a team of experts in developing a structured framework that establishes clear audit procedures, data collection methods, and quality requirements for assessing the smart readiness of buildings. This is a huge step forward in supporting the implementation of SRI across Europe and enhancing the role of smart building technologies in the energy transition. This work was initiated under the Smart Square project and involved the dedicated contributions of multiple partners, including Euphyia Tech, REHVA, EPB Center, IsZEB, Arcadis, EnEffect, R2M Solution, Cleopa and ASRO.
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