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 European 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.
43%
43% of ESCO respondents were unable to obtain commercially viable terms and rates of interest from funders when setting up an EPC.
69%
69% of ESCO respondents found it difficult, very difficult or impossible to obtain workable finance for EPC projects.
54%
54% of ESCO respondents reported that complexity of the concept/lack of information was a main barrier to investment in EPC.
52%
52% of ESCO respondents reported that lack of trust in the ESCO industry was a main barrier to investment in EPC
Source: Transparense
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 including Belgium.
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, 34 GWh of annual primary savings and over 9,000 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 here to read the national business case report for Belgium.
15/05/2020
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…
10/04/2020
The QualitEE project is excited to be working in collaboration with the LAUNCH, SENSEI, Triple-A, NOVICE, QUEST, u_CERT projects, as well as leading trade associations REHVA and EFIEES, on a session at the EU Sustainable Energy Week Policy Conference titled “Energy transition: new business models to de-risk investments and kick…
11/12/2019
We recently published the results of our 2019 Energy Efficiency Services survey. Our market research lead, Jana Szomolányiová, gives an overview of the survey and key results… The 2019 QualitEE market survey provides valuable insight into the development of Energy…
16/05/2019
The QualitEE project has published a new report which evaluates quality criteria and guidelines. This research focuses on later-stage projects which take place after procurement and gathers attitudes from different energy service sectors and clients across 11 countries. This research tests…
