TOGETHER – Towards a Goal of Efficiency Through Energy Reduction

GOAL: the economic situation is forcing public authorities to limit Energy Efficiency  investments in buildings and, as in Central Europe  there is a lack of uniformity in approaches and capacities to adopt Energy Efficiency solutions, our goal is to encourage Public Administrations  to improve Energy Efficicency in their buildings also by involving users in energy management.

METHODOLOGY: TOGETHER aims at changing the existing atomistic vision into a holistic vision of the buildings as a whole of functions and relationships between physical space, technological devices and users’ needs-behaviour. TOGETHER goes beyond isolated technical interventions by integrating them with financial/contracting and Demand Side Management tools such as the EPIC model (Energy Performance integrated Contract), which is based on technological devices and a behaviour-based component and a Building Alliance concept among buildings managers, owners and users.

APPROACH: the Project Partners aim at setting up a capacity building platform where the Partners share experiences, competences and knowledge at different levels and find tools and guidance, implementing a transnational horizontal approach. Different administrative levels, from the local to the national one, are present as Associated Partners: 22 local communities that observe/test practically the knowledge and tools, 3 Associations of Local Authorities, 2 Regions, 1 National Fund and 2 Ministries that receive the project Transnational Strategy. This Strategy aims at stimulating the political buy-in to Energy Efficiency integrated measures both on the supply and demand side when policy makers plan policies, programmes and investments in public buildings.

OUTPUTS: an Interdisciplinary Transnational Training Model; a Training of Trainers and 8 local Interdisciplinary Trainings, targeting about 150 owners/managers/decision makers; an Integrated Transnational Toolkit combining technical, financial and Demand Side Management tools; pilot actions involving 85 buildings audited and equipped with smart metering systems for a total of 8 pilot investments; a Transnational Strategy on how to increase Energy Efficiency in buildings through integrated tools, which is translated at partners’ level into a Policy Package that includes a Reinvestment Action Plan, aimed at triggering further investments.

BENEFICIARIES: 8 Partners and 30 Associated Partners will benefit directly from these outputs in different ways and Central Europe citizens will take advantage of savings generated by more skilled PAs able to secure funds and low cost measures for Energy Efficiency. TOGETHER offers a transnational capacity building platform, where partners with different levels of knowledge can strengthen their competences together, reducing their disparities, and promote actions on both the supply and demand side when planning Energy Efficiency in public buildings.

Project duration: 01.06.2016 - 31.05.2019 

Total project budget: 1 900 000 €

Financing: European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg Central Europe programme

Lead Partner: Province of Terviso (I)

Partners:

• Energy Agency VYSOČINY (CZ)
• University of Maribor (SLO)
• City of Zagreb (HR)
• Association of Municipalities Polish Network „Energie Cités” (PL)
• South Transdanubian reg. development Agency (H)
• Municipality of 12th District of Budapest (H)
• Slovak innovation and energy agency (SK)
• Munucipality of Paks (H)

Project website: https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/TOGETHER.html

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