The project Robust Internal Thermal Insulation of Historic Buildings (RiBuild) was supported by the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Union. The main objective was to develop expertise and guidelines on how to optimise the design and implementation of internal thermal insulation in historic buildings across the EU. Historic buildings built before 1945 in Europe often have great architectural and cultural value, but they are also responsible for 36% of CO2 emission of buildings in Europe. For this reason, the project also aimed to reduce the heating expenses and lower CO2 emission of these buildings.

In its initial phase, RiBuild developed knowledge in the field of thermal insulation through the screening of historic buildings and investigation of the material properties. The project assessed the level of risk involved when renovating a historic building, due to the lack of knowledge about the building materials, and by also taking into consideration the different types of outdoor exposure of these buildings. In its final phase, the project built on the knowledge developed in the initial phases to design guidelines and a web-based assessment tool. These resources were developed to support historic building owners and relevant authorities to implement internal insulation in historic buildings across Europe.

By providing a list of feasible internal insulation solutions, targeted for specific locations, building design and orientation, the project has helped to increase the number of buildings that are becoming internally insulated and supporting the development of a carbon free society in Europe. The project was coordinated by Aalborg University (Denmark) and carried out in collaboration with different partners (private organisations, research institutes and universities) from different European countries. The EU contributed with €4,962,375 to the overall budget of the project.