Publications
The QualitEE project has carried out extensive research, as well as consultation with key experts and stakeholders in the energy efficiency services market. Key outcomes from this work are have been published, and made available for download, to support the uptake and development of quality assurance for energy efficiency services.
Quality Assessment Criteria
The Focal Publication of QualitEE
The focal publication is a core set of Quality Assessment Criteria for energy efficiency services harmonised across Europe, and with nationally focussed additions. The guidelines will break down the key aspects within energy efficiency services into components/questions that can be individually assessed for quality, known as the ‘quality criteria’.
Each ‘Quality Criterion’ has the following form…
| Quality Criterion | Evidence | Verification | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Which specific aspect of the energy efficiency service is being assessed? What is the ideal requirement for this specific aspect? | What evidence should the assessor look for to assess the criterion. | How should the assessor decide whether the evidence collected demonstrates the criterion has been achieved? This could be pass/fail presence of the evidence or there may be a set of quality statements to assess against in a rating scale. | Supporting comments to assist the assessor in coming to their conclusion. |
View the UK Quality Criteria for Energy Performance Contracting
Other publications
Market research reports on energy efficiency services markets, finance and quality
Extensive market research surveys and stakeholder interviews have been carried out to inform the development of Quality Assessment Guidelines and Assurance Business Models. The outputs of this work are:
- A pan-European report on energy efficiency services markets, finance and quality. View the report here.
- National reports on energy efficiency services markets, finance and quality. Read the UK report here.
- An interactive web-tool to navigate market survey results – allowing direct comparison between different countries and previous market surveys carried out in 2013 and 2015 as part of the Transparense project
- Downloadable Excel / CSV results tables from surveys for your own analysis
Quality, finance and procurement guidelines for energy efficiency services
The focal publication of the QualitEE project: Guidelines and assessment tools to help stakeholders evaluate the quality of energy efficiency services; helping them to consider what they should review, and how they decide whether high quality has been achieved.
The publication consists of:
- European Quality Assessment Guidelines – a core set of quality assessment criteria applicable across Europe. View the guidelines here.
- National specific additions to the Quality Assessment Guidelines. View the UK criteria here.
- Financial Guidelines to assist energy efficiency service providers and clients to provide only streamlined and relevant information to third party financiers. This is intended to reduce due diligence costs. View the guidelines here.
- Procurement Handbook to guide clients in how to use the quality assessment criteria in the successful procurement of high quality energy efficiency services. View the procurement handbook here.
Case studies about the application of quality assurance processes in pilot projects
The QualitEE consortium has tested the application of quality assessment criteria in 28 pilot projects. Case studies have been published to highlight the benefits of quality assurance and lessons learnt.
Energy efficiency services and quality assurance training materials
A set of training materials have been developed and delivered at over 50 training seminars throughout Europe by the project consortium. The materials have been published on the website and can be downloaded here.
The following modules have been developed:
- Module 1: Basics about energy efficiency services
- Module 2: Quality assessment criteria, financial and procurement guidelines
- Module 3: Quality assurance frameworks, processes and lessons learnt from pilot projects
- Module 4: Seminar on how to operate the quality assurance process for assurance providers and certification bodies
Quality assurance business models for energy efficiency services
The QualitEE project intends to ‘kick start’ the implementation of national quality assurance schemes. This requires a solid business case with an active promoter generating market demand through well-established benefits, as well as independent assurance providers, a financial model and ‘buy-in’ from a wide range of stakeholders.
To support the uptake and success of quality assurance for energy efficiency services across Europe the following publications have been developed:
- A research report analysing successful models for quality assurance in other industries. View the report here.
- Case studies of best practices – each national promotion team has worked hard to find a sustainable business case for quality assurance in their country and has documented the process. These publications intend to ‘cross fertilise’ best practices to ensure success and provide a basis of learning for other countries to use to develop national schemes. View the UK report here.