At the Voogle Conference, held at the Croatian National Theatre in Varazdin on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, REA North presented BauNOW project and one of the project key results VIREAS – a virtual energy assistant powered by artificial intelligence, designed to help citizens plan energy-efficient renovations and integrate renewable energy solutions.
The presentation showcased the development of VIREAS, from user experience design and the creation of its AI knowledge base to the ways users can interact with the tool. It was emphasized that VIREAS serves as a starting point where citizens can access reliable information about energy renovation and renewable energy, rather than as a replacement for professional consulting services provided by designers and contractors. In addition to citizens as primary users, the advantages of using the tool were also highlighted for cities and municipalities, particularly in supporting the planning and implementation of energy renovations of public buildings.
Voogle Conference gathered representatives from the technology industry, academia, public administration, and the business sector to foster dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders driving the transition towards new models of growth and innovation.
Through lectures and panel discussions, participants learned about emerging concepts and trends across industry, public administration, and the economy, explored practical examples and successful transformations guided by the principles of Industry 5.0, and discussed the role of local innovation centers and European initiatives in building connected innovation ecosystems.
