The QualitEE-project aims to scale up investment in building energy efficiency by establishing quality certification frameworks for energy efficiency services across Europe, which do not exist currently. Quality certification frameworks from other sectors are constituted by the following elements; specification of standardised quality criteria, institutionalisation of the quality assurance process,and active promotion schemes.

Quality certification frameworks go beyond the presentation of model contracts, directly addressing the main challenges for energy efficiency markets (EEFIG, 2015):

• i) Market heterogeneity and lack of standardisation makes it costly for clients to differ between “good quality” and “bad quality” services and lead to customers’ lack of trust;
• ii) Financial Institutions perceive the “technical risk” of energy efficiency services as opaque and are thus hesitant in making financing decisions;
• iii) Heterogeneity of services and service providers and lack of standardised project assessment tools restrict bundling of small investments in individual energy services into tradeable bonds,preventing access to secondary capital markets.

QualitEE will address these challenges by:

• Establishing national promotion teams to form the institutional nucleus for quality certification frameworks; participation of energy efficiency associations,accredited certification bodies, national authorities and financial institutions has been confirmed.
• Developing guidelines on EU-wide standardised “technical quality criteria” and “minimum financial information” related to energy efficiency services.
• Applying quality criteria and quality certification processes in pilot projects.
• Establishing national quality assurance business cases and promotion to ensure market uptake.

QualitEE will contribute to market expansion through standardisation and quality assurance of energy efficiency services in an institutional framework that is sustained beyond the end of the project.

Project website: www.qualitee.eu