A proposal for a system of certification of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) projects and providers prepared within the framework of the QualitEE project for the Czech market was discussed at seminar in Prague on 5 December 2018.

Based on a detailed analysis of the various options for the introduction of certification system in the Czech Republic, a scheme has been designed and presented by SEVEn – The Energy Efficiency Center – a Czech partner of the QualitEE project. The proposed scheme builds primarily on certification of EPC projects and subsequently, the submission of several certified EPC projects is a prerequisite for EPC certification.

While projects should be certified by a certification body with suitably qualified EPC experts, certification of EPC providers will build on a high-quality EPC certification scheme, so assessors can do this without having in-depth knowledge of EPC. This will primarily involve administrative verification to meet all EPC provider certification requirements, i.e. the assessment of the completeness and reliability of the information documented in writing. The presented proposal builds on a certification system independent of international standards. The factors weighing on this decision leaned heavily towards simplicity and low cost, compared to the variant of the system according to international standards.

At the end of the seminar various aspects of the certification system were debated in panel discussion, including a timetable for the preparation and implementation of the system. It has been concluded that at least the whole year 2019 will be needed to prepare the proposed scheme in detail and approve it with the Ministry of Industry.