Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, the QualitEE project aims to increase investment in energy efficiency services in the building sector within the EU and improve trust in service providers. To achieve these aims, quality assessment criteria and business cases for quality assurance schemes have been developed.
The QualitEE consortium comprises 12 partner organisations covering 18 European countries, an expert advisory board including the European standards body CEN/CENELEC, and 59 supporters from major financial institutions, government bodies, trade associations and certification bodies.
The QualitEE project concluded at the end of June 2020. Read our final newsletter and watch recordings from our final conference.
The QualitEE project focusses on the following types of energy efficiency services.
The QualitEE project has engaged with European and National stakeholders in the development of quality assessment criteria and assurance schemes for energy efficiency services.
Organisations including private and public clients of energy efficiency services, facilitators and providers of energy efficiency services, financial institutions, Government bodies, national associations and certification bodies, will all benefit from a raising of standards in energy efficiency services projects.
Click for more information on how the project outcomes could benefit you.
73%
73% of Energy Efficiency Services (EES) provider and facilitator respondents expect quality assurance schemes to achieve a moderate or major increase in client trust of EES and their providers.
55%
Over 55% of Energy Efficiency Services (EES) provider and facilitator respondents found it difficult, very difficult or impossible to obtain viable finance for EES projects.
55%
55% of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) provider and facilitator respondents reported that complexity and lack of information is a main barrier to investment in EPC.
45%
45% of Energy Supply Contracting (ESC) provider and facilitator respondents reported that lack of trust in the ESCO industry is the foremost barrier to ESC business.
Source: QualitEE market research
The QualitEE project has worked with experts, engaged with stakeholders via discussion platforms, and carried out testing pilot projects to refine the guidelines of European quality assessment criteria for energy efficiency services, as well as national adaptations in 11 European countries.
These guidelines define technical, economic, communicational, and other criteria, which allow comprehensive evaluation of the quality of energy efficiency services. They form the basis for quality assurance schemes and represent a major step towards European standardisation.
They are supported by a set of financial assessment criteria, which streamline the assessment of quality for investors, and a procurement handbook that outlines how to apply the criteria in procurement procedures, as well as best practices for procurement of energy efficiency services.
To test the quality criteria and assurance procedures, the QualitEE project has engaged with 28 pilot projects in 11 European countries that span a diverse range of energy efficiency services. The projects represent 33 million Euros of investment, 33 GWh of annual primary savings and over 9,200 tons of annual CO2 emissions savings.
This provides an impressive database of the variety of projects being conducted throughout Europe that can inspire stakeholders on the opportunities available.
Click to read pilot project reports that cover key project facts, technical aspects and feedback to the application of quality criteria.
In 11 European countries the QualitEE project has engaged with stakeholders to research and develop the opportunity for national quality assurance schemes based on the quality criteria developed within the project.
Each country has documented the process in national business case reports, which offer key insight into the various approaches that can be taken, and in some cases provide a roadmap to the implementation of operational schemes that can increase trust, quality and uptake of energy efficiency services.
Click to read the national business case reports.
26/06/2020
Our final conference was held in three 1-hour sessions 17.-19. June. We had some excellent presentations from project partners and invited guests, as well as some interesting Q&A delving into the regional differences and what can be learnt from them.…
25/06/2020
Leading media outlet EURACTIV has published a special report on Energy Efficiency Services (EES) featuring a great piece by Valérie Plainemaison from our EU partner EFIEES on how EES are key to achieving the net zero ambitions of the EU…
19/05/2020
Read our latest newsletter to find out about: Toolkit – The toolkit we’ve published for quality assessment and procurement of Energy Efficiency Services Pilot Projects – 28 real world projects covering 33m Euros of investment, 33 GWh primary energy &…
11/05/2020
Conference title: Developing the market for high quality Energy Efficiency Services, a flexible delivery model ideal for rapid transition to net zero. Overview: The transition to net zero by 2050 will require dramatic changes in our buildings and local energy infrastructure. This…
