"SUSREF will develop new sustainable technologies for refurbishment of external walls. SUSREF is based on the premise that 1) Refurbishment of external walls is one of the most efficient ways of reducing environmental impacts from European building stock. 2) European building sector is facing huge refurbishment requirements; refurbishment of external walls is among the most urgent tasks. 3) Although there are technological solutions, the risks and optimal solutions are not understood. 4) External walls have an extensive effect on building performance and several aspects have to be taken into account when developing new concepts: a) effect on energy consumption, b) building physical behaviour and durability, c) good integration with building structure, details and building services, d) effect on indoor environment, e) aesthetics. 5) Urgent needs of refurbishment are not only faced in the EU but also in neighbouring areas. Development of functional and environmentally efficient technologies would support the European industry to export projects and the neighbouring areas to adopt sustainable technologies. SUSREF will 1) identify the foreseen needs to refurbish building envelops in the EU in order to understand the significance in terms of environmental and economic impacts and business potentials; 2) develop a systemized methods to manage the functional performance of solutions. Analyse technologies from the view point of building physics, comfort and durability. Consider different challenges in different parts of Europe in terms of present climate and foreseen risks of its changes, technological and cultural-historic issues; 3) develop systemized methods for consideration of energy and environmental performance of external walls; 4) develop sustainable product and project concepts; 5) disseminate results for building industry, standardisation bodies, and policy-makers and authorities in terms of technological knowledge, guidelines and recommendations."