Easy Procurement of Energy Performance Contracts

Introduction

EasyPro aims to develop a bespoke Energy Performance Contract (EPC) Facilitation Service and procurement framework and to demonstrate it at four real-life implementation sites provided by Irish Universities.

Project Development

EasyPro will combine project development processes available to the consortium members into a unique end-to-end solution that supports the implementation of EPCs across the Irish universities' buildings.

Novel EPC Template

EasyPro will also develop a novel EPC template that will support targets for reduction of carbon emissions along with energy savings. This new template will significantly contribute to making EPCs more attractive for the university sector, facilitating the achievement of their decarbonisation targets while supporting energy efficiency gains.

Challenges in EPC Procurement

EPCs are often seen as complex and costly to procure, with significant legal, administrative, and financial barriers that prevent contracts from being signed. The know-how about EPC templates and procedures to facilitate successful EPC deployment is fragmented and distributed among different stakeholders of the supply chain.

Integrated Solution

EasyPro aims to develop an integrated solution that will meet the needs of all stakeholders in the value chain, including:

1. Clients (Universities)
2. Providers of energy efficiency solutions (i.e., Energy Service Companies)
3. Investors

Components of the EasyPro Solution

The EasyPro solution will include:

1. EPC templates
2. Calculation methodologies
3. Measurement & verification protocols
4. Financial modelling tools
5. Risk assessment tools
6. A tendering process compliant with the Official Journal of the European Union (which is the official gazette publication for EU legal acts, other acts, and official information from EU institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies)
7. A matchmaking service between investors and clients

Role of the EasyPro Project Team

The EasyPro project team will act as an EPC Facilitator, guiding the decision-makers at the four Universities that support the project (University College Cork, Technological University Dublin, Maynooth University, and Dublin City University) through their EPC procurement processes.

Market Impact

EasyPro will contribute to boosting the market for ESCOs in Ireland, removing the legal, administrative, and market barriers that currently prevent large-scale investment in energy efficiency projects in the Irish public sector.

Future Prospects

EasyPro will prove that a standardised process can be successfully implemented in the Higher Education sector in Ireland and will pave the way for its roll-out to the rest of the Irish public sector and to the public sectors in other EU Member States.

Investment Goals

By the end of the 36-month project, EasyPro will have facilitated up to €45.3 million EUR of investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.