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Centre of Expertise for Contracting

Dialogue between the public sector and contracting players

Our mission: Utilising the potential of energy performance contracting

Energy services with guaranteed savings can make a valuable contribution to the success of the energy transition and the achievement of climate targets. Energy performance contracting (EPC) offers guaranteed improvements to the energy efficiency of buildings quickly and economically. The potential of EPC is far from being fully utilised, despite the fact that the benefits for the public sector in particular are obvious. There are still obstacles to many of the advantages: often very complex contracts, hurdles in budgetary regulations or a lack of expertise.

dena is drawing attention to EPC – as an alternative to independently implementing efficiency measures – with the Centre of Expertise for Contracting and the ‘Co2ntracting: build the future!’ model project, and is showing how it works. It paves the way for new EPC projects and generates knowledge that it transfers to many regions in Germany. Innovative pilot projects are intended to tap into new technological potential and user groups.  

Our approach: Continuous exchange

dena has established an ongoing exchange between the federal government and the state governments, local authorities and relevant contracting stakeholders with the Centre of Expertise for Contracting and the annual federal/state government dialogue on energy performance contracting. The focus is on the following:

  •  Improving the political and legal framework conditions
  • Developing and expanding regional competences
  • Providing standards and knowledge on EPC 

It is implementing the ‘Co2ntracting: build the future!’ model project on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action in order to create positive examples. Up to 100 participants across Germany will benefit from free consulting services from dena on implementation by 2025. The EPC model projects are intended to provide guidance and encourage others to follow suit.

Our milestones

  • 2024: publication of a study entitled ‘Fit for 2045 (Part 2): Investment requirements for the transformation of public non-residential buildings’. For the first time, it lists the required investments for a climate-neutral public building stock by 2045 at around €120 billion.
  • 2024: Fourth digital ‘Kommunalforum Klimaschutz’ (Climate Protection for Local Authorities) forum, where local authorities can exchange information on achieving climate protection targets.
  • 2024: 10th federal/state government dialogue on energy performance contracting
  • 2023: publication of a study entitled ‘Fit for 2045: Target parameters for existing non-residential buildings’. It shows for the first time how much energy and carbon dioxide emissions a non-residential building is permitted to consume after undergoing energy-efficiency refurbishment in order to be considered climate- or greenhouse gas-neutral.

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Let us know if we can help!

  • Cornelia Schuch

    Cornelia Schuch

    Team Leader, Districts & cities

  • Jonathan Flesch

    Dr. Jonathan Flesch

    Team Leader, Districts & cities

  • Sarah Koch

    Sarah Koch

    Team Leader, Districts & cities

  • Ursel Weißleder

    Ursel Weißleder

    Senior Expert, Districts & cities

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