EC Calls for Sustainable Housing

Deadline 26 June 2008 – “Energy Efficient Buildings” IEE SAVE
 

Intelligent Energy - Europe

The objective of the Intelligent Energy - Europe Programme is to contribute to secure, sustainable and competitively priced energy for Europe, by providing for action:

• to foster energy efficiency and the rational use of energy resources;
• to promote new and renewable energy sources and to support energy diversification;
• to promote energy efficiency and the use of new and renewable energy sources in transport.

The Programme will in particular contribute to the Energy Policy for Europe2, including the action plan for energy-efficiency3 and the proposal for a Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.

Intelligent Energy – Europe builds on the experience gained from its predecessor, the first Intelligent Energy - Europe (2003-2006) Programme5. This Programme has become the main Community instrument to tackle non-technological barriers to the spread of efficient use of energy and greater use of new and renewable energy sources. From 2007, Intelligent Energy – Europe has been included in the overall Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)6 in order to contribute to achieving the objectives of EU energy policy and to implementing the Lisbon Agenda.

The Programme is managed by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI, formerly known as Intelligent Energy Executive Agency) under powers delegated by the European Commission.

Focus areas regarding Sustainable Housing “Energy-efficient buildings”:

• Take action, including large-scale awareness-raising and public information campaigns, facilitating the creation of fully functional energy performance certification markets and ensuring that the recommendations on certificates are followed by appropriate, practical application.
   
• Launch voluntary action/schemes for certification, in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), of buildings not for sale or rent and for buildings not covered by the Directive (e.g. smaller properties and renovation).
   
• Take targeted action related to retrofitting, in particular addressing specific categories of buildings and/or using specific technologies/strategies.
   
• Take targeted action, including retrofitting, for the take-up of passive and very low-energy buildings and technologies, and/or energy-neutral and energy-positive buildings which go well beyond the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requirements.
   
• Take action concerning retrofitting of public buildings to lead by example and promote adoption of new proven technologies and strategies, including renewable energy sources.
   
• Conduct large-scale awareness-raising campaigns on behavioural aspects of use of buildings.
   
• Launch large-scale education and training schemes/activities in all Member States to qualify the market for implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: agreements with universities, associations of installers, chambers of commerce, etc. to institutionalise the necessary education/training.

You can apply for financial support for new projects under the current call for proposals, which is open until 26 June 2008. If you are already involved in an IEE-supported project you will find important guidance in the implementing project section.

Download call text, guidelines, application forms, etc at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/intelligent/call_for_proposals/call_library_en.htm

For further information consult the IEE programme website on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/intelligent/index_en.html

Additional information from ManagEnergy Newsletter is available on:
http://www.managenergy.net/news/news.html