Save your bUildiNg by SavINg Energy. Begin to move more quickly

Project Information

Accelerate SUNShINE

Grant agreement ID: 754080

DOI

10.3030/754080

Project closed

EC signature date 30 March 2017

Start date 1 April 2017

End date 31 March 2021

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 1 577 140,00

EU contribution

€ 1 577 140,00

Coordinated by

RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE
Latvia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Accelerate SUNShINE (Save your bUildiNg by SavINg Energy. Begin to move more quickly)

Reporting period: 2018-10-01 to 2021-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Often small and medium municipality are not able to implement their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAP) as they lack capacity and instruments to actually translate their plans into bankable projects. In order to meet the targets of the SEAPs, municipalities need to focus on the timely renovation of existing public buildings and multifamily residential buildings into energy-efficient buildings.

A deep renovation, followed by proper maintenance, protects buildings and extends their life by 30 years or more. Costing in Latvia roughly 1/8 of new construction, renovation is a viable solution for most buildings. The energy- efficient modernization of public buildings and multifamily buildings (MFBs) is considered most effective when undertaken as part of a wider program of capital refurbishment and repair.

Accelerate SUNShINE builds on the work under implementation in SUNShINE, adding public buildings and infrastructure and an additional pipelines of residential sector buildings. The overall concept of Accelerate SUNShINE is to enable these deep renovation projects and to trigger the €27m investment through Energy Performance Contracting, where the guaranteed energy savings can pay partly for the necessary capital investments.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Accelerate SUNShINE has ensured creation and functionality of the local Shared Project Management Unit, i.e. local working groups bringing technical, legal, financial and social advisory. This unit works on developing portfolios of energy efficiency projects in two distinct sectors:
• Public sector – public buildings and eventually infrastructures and
• Residential Sector - multifamily residential buildings.

Accelerate SUNShINE has created specific guidelines for project implementation and for running and the implementation of the activities towards renovation of public buildings with energy efficiency guarantee.

During the whole project, Accelerate SUNShINE has identified and addressed existing barriers in the regulatory framework for public EPC procurement in Latvia and other challenges like:
• regulatory barriers for long term Energy Performance Contracting in Public Buildings and use of Public Private Partnership
• subsidies limiting use of "design and build" approach and project bundling
• persuading and aligning everyone's interest
• lack of functional energy management system in municipalities

In the meantime, Accelerate SUNShINE has created and implemented four targeted Municipal awareness raising campaigns to encourage citizens to refurbish their multifamily buildings with EPC.

The main results of Accelerate SUNShINE are following:
• More than 120 energy audits have been carried out and more than 45 full project development plans (technical design, drawings, permits detailed budges estimates) prepared and eight EPC public procurements announced and contracts signed
• eight signed contracts for building renovation with energy efficiency guarantee worth of €13.6m investments
• two projects in negotiation phase with investments of €0.9m
• 15 projects in procurement stage of total €14m investments
• 19 energy efficiency projects triggered in four municipalities with total investments of €7.6m
• Primary energy savings of more than 10.6 GWh/year
• 9,000 people are already directly influenced by the renovation projects executed in Accelerate SUNShINE
• Accelerate SUNShINE renovation projects deliver in average investments of 2,679 €/person
• 75,356 m2 of multifamily residential buildings engaged

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Accelerate SUNShINE has achieved important progress beyond the state of the art:
• Accelerate SUNShINE has created a clear process procedures to accelerate the process the refurbishment process in the municipalities.

• Accelerate SUNShINE municipalities are successfully and directly involved as facilitators between ESCOs and the residents of multifamily residential buildings. Each municipality has an energy manager who facilitates the process.

• Accelerate SUNShINE municipalities have developed or updated local regulations supporting their citizens to refurbish their housing, including support for energy audits, technical surveys, renovation works etc.

• Accelerate SUNShINE has identified important obstacles in the legal framework for public EPC and is addressing through different meetings with main stakeholders.

One of the study tour. Accelerate SUNShINE municipalities visiting ESCO buildings in Sigulda

Logo of Accelerate SUNShINE logo

Workshop about renovation in city of Jurmala. Presentation of Accelerate SUNShINE