Benchmarking Framework to Encourage Energy Efficiency Investments in South Europe. The Trust EPC South Approach

The Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) market is still embryonic in South Europe since there are still many barriers: difficult access to financing, limited investors’ confidence in EPC models, scarcity of flagship projects, lack of certification schemes and financing mechanisms, especially for the tertiary sector (hospitality, tourism, healthcare), which presents a huge potential for Energy Efficiency (EE). The Trust EPC South project, funded by Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, aims to scale up investments in EE solutions in the private tertiary sector in South Europe, by delivering a robust investment standardization and benchmarking framework and a pipeline of bankable EPC projects in 6 countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece); its results will eventually be extended to the Balkan. Tailored capacity building activities will allow an easier access to third-party financing, thus unlocking the large tertiary sector EE and Renewable Energy market potential. Initially, national market analyses took place (EPC providers, beneficiaries-clients, and financial institutions) to identify the market potential. National Discussion Platforms were set up to develop the national roadmaps addressing mechanisms for mitigation of policy, legal, and especially financial barriers. An investment standardization and benchmarking framework, built upon an established real estate assessment tool (Green Rating™), is actually setting up in order to build trust amongst all parts of the EPC value chain. The methodology will be upgraded including a financial assessment model.