After a journey filled with innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration, we are proud to celebrate the closing event of the LIFE ZEROENERGYMOD project—an initiative that has explored energy efficiency through renewable energy to transform construction models in some of the planet’s most extreme environments.

The event, which will take place over a day full of inspiring content, will bring together experts, collaborators, and key stakeholders to share the project’s achievements and explore its future potential. From the origin of the idea to its application in social and humanitarian contexts, the agenda includes technical presentations, recognitions, and the launch of three practical guides on sustainability, PassivHaus standards, and hydrogen technologies.

It will also be an opportunity to learn how the LIFE Programme drives environmental innovation across Europe, and how ZEM has been recognized for its excellence and transformative potential.

🗓️ Event Agenda
10:00 – 10:10
Welcome

10:10 – 10:30
Objective Antarctica: The Journey of LIFE ZEROENERGYMOD.
How did the project begin?

10:30 – 10:40
Recognition of Excellence:
The keys behind the COAATZ award to the project

10:40 – 11:00
The LIFE Programme:
Driving sustainability in Europe through action and innovation

11:00 – 11:20
Presentation: “Guide to Applying PassivHaus Standards in Habitable Modules”

11:20 – 12:00
Coffee Break

12:00 – 12:20
Presentation: “Introductory Guide to Renewable Energies and Hydrogen Technologies in Extreme Environments”

12:20 – 12:40
Presentation: “Guide to Implementing Renewable Energies and Hydrogen Technologies to Achieve ZEROENERGYMOD”

12:40 – 13:00
Implementation of the ZEM Module in Social and Humanitarian Projects

13:00 – 13:25
Envisioning the Future of the Project

13:25 – 13:30
Closing Remarks

The LIFE ZEROENERGYMOD project, funded by the European Union’s LIFE program, is pleased to announce the availability of its introductory guide on Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Technologies in Extreme Environments. This publication is essential reading for those looking to understand innovative and sustainable solutions for energy generation and management in isolated and complex locations.

The guide details the solution proposed by the LIFE ZEROENERGYMOD project, specifically designed to provide energy autonomy and security in the most challenging environments and remote regions facing significant logistical obstacles. The key to this solution lies in the integration of hydrogen systems with renewable energy sources, creating a self-sufficient energy system ideal for off-grid areas.

Discover more in the document we have prepared.

The Life Zero Energy Mod project will hold an online workshop focused on the energy efficiency of temporary and isolated installations, a key initiative to promote sustainable solutions in various sectors. The event, which will take place on 9 April 2025, will bring together experts and practitioners to explore the latest trends and technologies in this field.

The workshop will address crucial topics such as the functionality of temporary facilities, Passivhaus standards, cost analysis and the implementation of advanced technologies. Challenges and opportunities in economic, military and social sectors will be discussed, as well as the development of sustainable military infrastructures and the construction of low energy buildings.

Who is the target audience?

This event is designed for construction professionals, architects, engineers, military infrastructure managers, energy efficiency experts, representatives of public administrations and NGOs interested in sustainable solutions and renewable energy.

What is expected from this workshop?

In-depth knowledge: Participants will gain detailed information on the latest trends and technologies in energy efficiency for temporary facilities.
Case study analysis: Success stories and challenges in various sectors, including military, economic and social, will be explored.
Networking: The workshop will offer a unique opportunity to connect with industry experts and professionals.
Innovative solutions: Innovative energy solutions for a more efficient and sustainable future will be discussed and proposed.

The Life Zero Energy Mod project seeks to foster strategies for a more efficient, sustainable and resilient future, and this workshop is an important step in that direction.

Event details:

Date: 9-04-2025
Format: Online

Register for the workshop!

From March 9 to 14, the Caja Rural Foundation of Zaragoza hosted the first edition of the Aragón Hydrogen Week, an event that highlighted the vital role of hydrogen technology in advancing decarbonization and creating new employment opportunities. During the event, Mar Vaquero, Vice President and Minister of Presidency, Economy, and Justice of the Government of Aragón, emphasized the region’s leadership in promoting hydrogen as a key technological driver.

On March 14, as part of the session “Hydrogen Minds: Disruptive Projects,” Paula Barberó, Head of Innovation at the Aragón Hydrogen Foundation, presented the LIFE ZEROENERGYMOD project. During the round table, Barberó explained that the main objective of the ZEROENERGYMOD project is the development and demonstration of a modular, habitable, robust, easy-to-install and transport solution, based on the PassivHaus standard along with renewable energy generation. This project represents an innovative concept of a habitable and easy-to-install module with zero emissions.

Additionally, Jesús Montero, Head of the Energy and New Developments Department at ARPA EMC, a member of the project consortium, also presented the project within the “Hydrogen Minds: Leading the Industry” block. Montero highlighted the project as part of ARPA’s portfolio in its developments for the hydrogen value chain.

The Aragón Hydrogen Week has been a crucial platform to showcase the advances and potential of hydrogen technology, and the LIFE ZEROENERGYMOD project has proven to be an outstanding example of innovation and sustainability in this field.

Presentation of the ZEM project at the meeting “Decarbonising Antartica Discussion Forum”.

On Tuesday 20 February 2024, the Zaragoza Defence University Centre (CUD) presented the ZEM (Life Zero Energy Mod) project at the “Decarbonising Antarctica Discussion Forum” meeting.

The meeting, which lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes, was attended by 10 representatives from the following entities and countries:

Korean Polar Institute
British Antarctic Survey
International Polar Foundation
Antarctica New Zealand
Spanish Polar Committee

The presentation of the ZEM project generated great interest among the attendees. The representative of the Spanish Polar Committee (SPC), Antonio Quesada, mentioned ZEM as one of the lines of work of the Spanish Polar Committee for Antarctica.

The ZEM project aims to develop a habitable module that is completely self-sufficient in terms of energy and emissions.

Our partners present the ZERO ENERGYMOD project on the ground. Discover the evolution of the construction of this easy to install and transport living space, based on the PassivHaus standard that incorporates renewable energy sources and hydrogen storage.

Each of our partners, ARPA, CUDZ, BHAUS and the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation accompany you on this journey through the ZERO ENERGYMOD facilities while explaining how this model will be useful in the construction of custom-designed logistics solutions for European armed forces bases, as well as all types of civilian organisations in peace missions, development and international cooperation, NGOs, and any public or private company or ministry that needs to develop its activity in remote areas.

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The International Defense Course in Jaca analyzes and discusses a selection of factors that act as drivers of change in the field of security and defense. The program started with a session dedicated to the Spanish rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, and another to analyze the evolution of the defense awareness of the Spanish society that these thirty courses have witnessed.

The course will continue with three sessions each dedicated to analyzing how three relevant factors affect the evolution of security and defense. The first of these will be devoted to energy. It will discuss the geopolitics of hydrocarbons
of hydrocarbons, the challenges of the transition and intensive use of new energy sources, and the impact of rare earths and other critical minerals on international security.
Our partner CUDZ (Centro Universitario de la Defensa – Zaragoza) participated in this conference, represented by Beatriz Rodríguez Soria – Professor of the Centro Universitario de la Defensa. During her speech, she presented the project ZERO ENERGYMOD – Modular, demountable and energetically self-sufficient construction for military bases. She highlighted the objectives of the project, the characteristics of its design PASSIVMOD, as well as the process of installation, assembly and the importance of the hydrogen cycle to achieve the objectives of the project.

APTIE “Association for the Promotion of Strategic Technologies and Industries” is organising the 3rd Congress on Renewable Energies in Defence Installations with the aim of gaining greater knowledge of the different systems for generating these energies, as well as their capacities and problems.

Given the costs of acquisition, maintenance and problematic of the equipment and the importance of the problems of maintenance and agility in the management of the equipment and systems with known obsolescence, we consider interesting to deepen in the subject of outsourcing the ownership, management and maintenance of the facilities for the generation of electrical energy, air conditioning and water ASC.

The evolution and permanent improvement of the efficiency of the equipment, together with the need for specialised maintenance and life cycle management, make this form of management an interesting alternative, which, however, needs to be analysed from the point of view of the legal procedures for contracting with the State.

During this Congress, our colleague Beatriz Rodriguez Soria, Dr. Industrial Engineer and Professor at the Centro Universitario de la Defensa in Zaragoza, presented the objectives and progress of the ZeroEnergyMod project.

More than 150 experts from 29 European countries, as well as different institutions and organisations participated in the fifth conference of the third phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS III) in Prague, reaffirming the Consultation Forum’s status as the largest European defence energy community.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) organised the fifth CF SEDSS III conference from 30 November to 1 December 2022 under the auspices of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). It was hosted by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. During the conference, the forum showed the way ahead to support the defence energy transition, ranging from behavioural change models to climate change proofing and energy resilience. The forum’s output also contributed to implementing broader EU actions, including the EU’s Climate Change and Defence Roadmap, Member States’ defence strategies for climate change adaptability, the EU’s offshore energy strategy, and the Action Plan on Military Mobility.

The conference was attended by our colleague Adeline Rezeau from the Centro Universitario de Defensa en Zaragoza (CUZD) and our colleague Jesús Montero representing our partner Equipos Móbiles de Campaña (ARPA). Both were in charge of presenting our project ZEROENERGYMOD within the working group 1 “Energy Efficiency and Building Performance”.