Introduction

• 15 612 employees
• 9 research centres 
• 3,4 billion euros budget
• 447 priority patents filed in 2007

« Explore and propose new innovative breakthrough technologies and enhance the value of its research laboratories competencies. »

• Three CEA units are involved in HOMES.

CEA-LETI

A CEA institute based in Grenoble, the LETI is one of Europe's foremost centres for applied research in micro and nanotechnologies. Nearly 1600 people work in the service of innovation and technology transfer in key fields: microelectronics, micro-systems, biology & health, telecommunications & communicating objects and photonics. The LETI filed 250 patents in 2008 and is backed by a portfolio of 1500 patents.

CEA-LETI and HOMES:
« Explore and propose new innovative breakthrough technologies and enhance the value of its research laboratories' competencies in autonomous, wireless multi-physics sensors. »

• Define wireless physical and/or environment sensors capable of significantly enhancing the input data of building distribution and control systems in order to solve the energy efficiency dilemma: more comfort for less energy.
• Integrate into micro-system technology physical and/or environment sensors.

CEA-LITEN

A CEA institute based mainly in Grenoble and Chambéry (INES), the LITEN (Laboratoire d’Innovation pour les Technologies des Energies Nouvelles et les nanomatériaux) [Innovation Laboratory for New Energies Technologies and Nanomaterials], is one of Europe's largest and most recent new energy technologies research centres.

CEA-LITEN and HOMES:
« Explore and propose new innovative breakthrough technologies and enhance the value of its research laboratories'competencies in the integration of micro-systems and energy scavenging systems for autonomous sensors.»

• LITEN / DTNM : Provide the technological building blocks necessary for energy scavenging for autonomous environment sensors developed in the framework of the HOMES programme.
• LITEN / DTS INES : Provide the expertise necessary for the measurement of air quality and comfort in the buildings in which HOMES will be deployed, with the aim of improving energy efficiency.
• LITEN / DTS INES : Define the appropriate performance assessment method (metrology) to be used in the project to test the HOMES solution in the "Incas" real-life condition experimentation field deployed in the INES.

The INES

The INES was created in 2006 at the initiative of the public authorities to promote and develop the use of solar energy in France, aimed particularly at mastering energy use in buildings. The INES is the first centre in France, and one of the first in Europe, dedicated to research on solar energy.

The INES and HOMES:
« The INES will make one or more of its Incas platform experimental buildings available to the HOMES project for real-life testing of the packaged solutions and measurement of their efficiency.»