Immersive Design and New Digital Competences for the Rehabilitation and Valorization of the Built Heritage

<< Background >>The ID4Ex project aimed to align with Europe 2030's priorities on employment and education, addressing the EU Roadmap's call for enhanced education via new technologies and a diverse digital content supply. It responded to the construction sector's challenges, intensified by health emergencies, by advocating for the digitization of the sector. This initiative was crucial for improving efficiency, fostering innovation, and enhancing skill specialization crucial for the sector's industrialization. Embracing an immersive design approach, ID4Ex sought to develop inclusive products and services, engaging all stakeholders in the process. The project's core goal was to update skills and competences through new technologies, incorporating Key Enabling Technologies (KETs), Virtual Reality (VR), Immersive Interactive Experience (IIE), and advanced 3D modeling, thus supporting the intervention in built heritage with an inclusive approach.<< Objectives >>The ID4Ex project focused on several key objectives: upgrading and innovating training programs with immersive design methods for built heritage interventions, enhancing teaching and learning effectiveness through inclusive design, and increasing the use of modern technologies in a cohesive manner to foster teamwork and personal growth. It also aimed to boost collaboration between educational institutions and enterprises in the EU to improve employability. The project addressed the need for standardized curricula in immersive design across Europe and the absence of integrated networks between education providers and the business sector. By introducing new training programs via Training of Trainers (C1) and local courses, ID4Ex targeted students, postgraduates, and professionals in the construction sector, ensuring a wide dissemination of immersive design skills and knowledge.<< Implementation >>The project's main activities and their indicators were meticulously planned and executed as outlined in the attached Gantt chart. Project and financial management involved regular administrative and financial checks every 6 months, utilizing reporting, documentation checks, and control over financial resources deployment. A detailed work plan was developed, including checks on the state of implementation and control of timelines/deadlines, with discussions at Transnational Meetings (TM), virtual meetings, and control of milestones to ensure adherence to the project timeline. The evaluation was conducted through an internal monitoring questionnaires during the transnational project meetings, overachieving an expected 80% positive response rate (overachieved: 100% positive rate).Output 1 entailed Comparative Research, adhering to prerequisites and producing approximately 100 pages of content in digital format (overachieved: 285 pages + videos), available on the project's website. The content was in English, clear in structure, and useful for researchers, operators, and stakeholders. Beneficiary satisfaction was gauged through a questionnaire, with an 80% positive response rate expected from multiplayer events and Resonance Groups Meetings (overachieved: 99% positive rate).Output 2 saw the realization of Training Programs for Immersive Design Experts, with training opportunities designed for the target groups, involving direct involvement from testers in each group. All partners collaborated in the development phase (overachieved: 99% positive rate).Output 3 involved the effective design and development of a Training Toolkit, which included digital resources ensuring timely implementation and testing results (overachieved: 99% positive rate).Output 4 comprised a Report on Pilot Trainings, meeting all prerequisites and producing content useful for the project's stakeholders. Satisfaction among beneficiaries was again measured through questionnaires, with expectations of an 80% positive response rate from events and meetings (overachieved: 99% positive rate).Additional components were developed for IOs (not assumed in the application nor agreement) listed in the IO “About the result” files.The C1 short-term joint-staff training event was implemented on time, and beneficiary satisfaction was assessed, expecting an 80% positive response rate (overachieved: 100% positive rate). Local pilot actions and Resonance Groups involved significant participant engagement, with feedback communicated through written and satisfactory reports.Multiplier events were crucial for dissemination, project visualization, website updates, and reporting to the National Agency (NA), with internal reports shared among partners, ensuring a broad and effective dissemination of the project's results and findings.<< Results >>MAIN RESULTS:IO1-Comparative research on vr technologies applications for the rehabilitation and valorization of the built heritage IO2- Training modules for immersive design experts IO3- Digital training toolkit for immersive design experts IO4- Report on pilot actions for immersive design expertswith additional components (not assumed in the application nor agreement) listed in the IO “About the result” files.ADDITIONAL RESULTS:- Green practices for the project management,- Dissemination materials, including: videos, website and social media pages, posters, leaflets, etc.- Impact and dissemination report,- Resonance Group report,- Meetings and trainings reports (minutes),- Monitoring and evaluation plan.