FinEERGo-Dom

The FinEERGo-Dom project, a visionary initiative under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme, has embarked on a transformative journey to revolutionize building retrofits across Europe. The project's mission was to adapt and implement the innovative Latvian Building Energy Efficiency Facility (LABEEF) model in five EU countries - Poland, Austria, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria. The core of the project lay in its aim to facilitate comprehensive or "dEEp" renovations in the building sector by using an energy performance contracting model that guaranteed savings and utilized the capabilities of energy service companies (ESCOs).

The FinEERGo-Dom project focused on an innovative financing model that is fundamentally changing the renovation landscape. By applying the concept of the Energy Performance Contract (EPC), this project removed the need for building owners to invest capital upfront. This model not only made renovation projects immediately financially viable, but also improved the ESCOs' liquidity, enabling them to invest more heavily in comprehensive renovation projects. A notable feature of the project was the introduction of standardized forfaiting services, a strategic measure to accelerate investments in the sector.

The project strategy included the establishment of one-stop-shops (hubs) and energy advisory services modeled on the Latvian concept of Kubirojs. These hubs served as a comprehensive resource for residents and market participants by guiding them through the complicated path of building renovation. Another innovative aspect of the project was the SUNShINE platform, an online solution to promote transparency and collaboration between a range of stakeholders, including ESCOs, investors, banks and homeowners.

 

• In Poland, the project team struggled through trust issues, complex processes and financing challenges to develop the priority program for energy efficiency in multi-family and public buildings.
• Bulgaria focused on building capacity among homeowners and municipalities, which led to the establishment of a one-stop shop and the integration of the ESCO model into strategic support programs such as the Bulgarian Facility for Resilience and Reconstruction.
• Austria's path was fraught with legal, regulatory and market-specific difficulties, but progress was made in adapting contracts and guidelines to local circumstances.
• Slovakia stood out for its successful implementation of the LABEEF model with an official, Maastricht-compliant EPC template for public buildings, setting an example of overcoming legal and financial obstacles.
• Romania, although it has not implemented a pilot project, has made significant progress in the legal assessment and alignment of LABEEF contracts with Romanian legislation.

Several important lessons and recommendations have been drawn from the FinEERGo-Dom experience:

• It is crucial to tailor approaches to the specific context and legal framework of each country.
• Standardization of EPCs and clarification of the rules for billing energy savings are crucial for the widespread adoption of the ESCO model.
• Overcoming market barriers and stakeholder reluctance requires solid capacity building, advocacy and efficient information dissemination.
• Developing one-stop shops and aligning EU and national programs with countries' energy efficiency goals can significantly boost market development.
• Financing mechanisms need to be innovative, flexible and responsive to the specific challenges of the energy efficiency market.

In essence, the FinEERGo-Dom project has shown the way forward for energy efficient renovations in Europe. It has demonstrated the potential and benefits of the LABEEF model in different European settings, while highlighting the need for market realignment, policy alignment and comprehensive stakeholder education. The project is a testament to the transformative power of collaborative, innovative approaches to sustainable building renovation.

Project website

SUNShINE platform

 

Client	EU Horizon 2020
Project management	DI Naghmeh Altmann-Mavaddat, MSc
Projectteam	DI (FH) Nicole Hartl
Projectpartner	KAPE (Polen) Nationaler Fonds fürUmweltschutz und Wasserwirtschaft (Polen) ESEB (Lettland) Econoler (Bulgarien) Österreichische Energieagentur (Österreich) Funding for Future (Niederlande) Mattig Management Partners (Slowakei und Rumänien) Stage AI (Bulgarien)
Projekt duration	June 2019 to November 2023