Energy Neighbourhoods2Boost energy efficiency in private households through contests and competitions

Energy Neighbourhoods – from past to present

The Energy Neighbourhoods project grew from an initiative originally developed in Belgium

The first Energy Neighbourhoods project on European level was launched in autumn 2008

Since that time more than 14.500 households in Europe took up the challenge to show that it is possible to have a large impact on energy use and climate protection while saving money

This was achieved by organising a bet between the community and their citizens.

Energy Neighbourhoods – from past to present

The goal was to save a specific percentage of energy in months through simple and cost effective measures such as changes in user behaviour, using energy saving lamps and disabling stand-by

Each team was coached by an ‘Energy Master’ who supported and encouraged the team and provided the right incentives

A web-based calculation tool provided an overview of the energy savings achieved by each household and functioned as an important control instrument

ManagEnergy Local Energy Action Award

Main obstacles when trying to save energy in private households

Energy saving is often associated with giving up the things you like

Energy saving is frequently seen as an investment issue

One of the biggest challenges is changing established habits

Energy savings are noticeable only when the energy bill comes

What is the Energy Neighbourhoods2about?

Follow up project of IEE project Energy Neighbourhoods

Energy saving bet between cities and citizens

5-12 households form an Energy Neighbourhood and compete to save 9% energy in 4 months

16 partners from 16 countries

Large scale campaign to raise awareness of a broad public

Inclusion of new topics like transport and food

16 x Energy Neighbourhoods2 in Europe

The Tools

The Online - Tool

The set up for the online tool was threefold

Create a communication channel for each participating partner. A home for their national campaign, through which they could present the challenges, news and results, and gather their national savings.

Enable all participants to monitor their energy usage in a easy to understand way and to visualize their energy savings. Via this site, households can keep track of their energy saving. This aspect is key to convincing people to save energy.

Participating energy masters and municipalities could follow up the savings and results. Municipalities can manage the households and groups within their municipalities. They can also see and download the local savings.

The Online - Tool

The calculation of the energy savings is based on three parts

the partitioning of the energy usage into the different household applications (such as cooking, central heating, warm water, etc)

the influence of temperature and seasons on the heating, but also on sanitary en electrical use.

Making sure the measured periods are comparable

The Online - Tool

The partitioning of the usage concerning the applications.

The program calculates how much percent of gas and electricity usage goes to the different types of applications. This calculation is based on historical data and statistics.

Why is this important?

If its colder outside, you will use more energy.

But the temperature only affects on that part of the energy consumption, used for heating and in a lesser extent on the production of sanitary hot water. On cooking it has no influence. So for each type of usage, their has to be other corrections.

The Online - Tool

The influence of temperature and seasons

The energy used for central heating, hot water, cooking depends more or less on the outside temperature.

The outside temperature is notated in number of degree-days.

The Online - Tool

Making the measured periods comparable

The reference period (the period to which we compare the current measured energy usage) is minimum 9 months, including a winter. The campaign runs for 4 months. To compare these two periods, both the reference data as the measured data has to be converted to a year.

For the percentage of a group we do not take the average of all percentages. We add up all primary usages of the participants and we compare measure - and reference period of all participants together. Therefore someone with large energy consumption, counts heavily, someone with small energy consumption weighs less in the calculations.

The Online - Tool

Collect the specific national parameters to make sure the calculation was correct for each country

Outdoor temperature

Exact day temperature for last 4 years (to cover reference period), Meteorological institutes

Temperature without heatingAbove this temperature, heating is not required, solar and internal gains are enough to keep the dwelling on its comfort temperature (20 to 22 °C).

Temperature without coolingBelow this outdoor temperature cooling is not required.

Used energy carriers in each country

Monitoring unit

Lower combustion value

Price

PER: primary energy rate

CO2-production

The Online - Tool

The Online - Tool

Each participant had to give us a certain set of personal energy parameters, so we could calculate their personal energy savings.

Insulation level

How much would you like to save?

For each application (cooking, heating, warm water, other) the energy carrier

Solar panels

The Online - Tool

Next we needed a reference usage

The Online - Tool

Finally, they could enter their meter data

On a daily, weekly, monthly basis

The energy saving is shown immediately

The Competition

Two rounds of competition 2011/12 and 2012/13 in all participating member states

830 neighbourhoods comprising 8.626 households with 22.420 household members

Savings achieved 5.661.872 kWh – 2.425 t CO2

Neighbourhoods were supported by trained energy masters

The Competition

In each round three events per country have been implemented

Regular meetings with the representatives from the municipalities

Continuous support for energy masters and participants

European Prize Gala in Brussels

Performance Indicators

Goals

420 – 820 Neighbourhoods

10 .080 – 19.680 Household Members

3.700 – 7500 MWh

1.000 – 2.100 t CO2

420 -820 trained energy masters

Achievements

830 Neighbourhoods

22.420 Household Members

5.735 MWh

2.425 t CO2

830 trained energy masters

Factors for success

The main reasons of successGroup action - being part of a team and contributing to the overall performance

Support of Energy Masters , Municipalities and National Coordinators

Competition between different groups with prize galas on national and European level

Positive and fresh image of the competition

Realistic chance to win the competition

Direct control of energy consumption via the online tool

Success stories Communication

Comprehensive media coverageArticles and radio or TV spots 838

Presentations on events and fairs 160

Support by 32 patrons like for example Jo Leinen and other MEPs

International short film competition

Success stories Communication

Organisation of a seminar about the importance of behaviour changes in the framework of the Berlin Energy Days in Berlin in April 2013 „Behaviour Changes – An important contribution for climate protection?“ in Germany

Sustainability of the Energy Neighbourhoods2

All partners are negotiating with municipalities in order to implement further Neighbourhood campaigns

Intensive contacts to city networks

In France in 70 regions and cities the approach will be continued

Sustainability of the Energy Neighbourhoods2

Additionally housing companies and other companies have been contacted and were interested

Development of a special approach for schools

Partners

Thank you very much for your attention!