The PU- Benefs- project intends to develop a suitable management framework for assisting public bodies and especially local authorities to implement energy services including energy efficiency, and thus to enhance the market of energy efficiency and energy services, by providing efficient tools to meet the needs of public bodies and facilitating the work of ESCOs. The major outcome of this action would be an increased number of public bodies using energy services.

Opening of energy markets and use of energy services represents a good opportunity for local authorities to include energy efficiency measures in their management, but several problems can occur, such as lack of knowledge of existing mechanisms, as third party financing, specificities inducing difficulties to implement energy services (legislation, accounting schemes etc), risk of losing the knowledge on the energy consumptions.

Concrete assistance will help the local authorities overcoming their non-technological barriers, to create a new market for energy services and thus realise the high energy efficiency potential in their building stock.

The work started with studies on the specificity of public bodies, their legal framework and capacity for third party finance contracting in 8 countries (F, GB, D, A, SP, S, FIN, I); In total fourteen feasibility studies will identify the specific problems and solutions for implementing energy services. Elaborated specifications will assist local authorities for their tenders to implement energy services, allowing having the best offer by ESCOs.

As the quality of contractual relationships is crucial model contracts will be elaborated, taking into account the acquired know-how in Europe, in a way those public bodies can adapt them rapidly. Tools (brochure, CD-ROM, web sites) will be produced facilitating the implementation of energy services. The dissemination will ensure an efficient replication of the work carried out directed to the target groups while associating the key actors (specific advisory committees). Organisation of training and dissemination seminars at different levels completes the promotion. In this way this project will be able to increase the number of public bodies and local authorities deciding to study and further to implement energy services schemes.