The SAVE-project "Energy Labels", which was coordinated by O.Ö. Energiesparverband, aimed at increasing overall awareness of energy quality in production and consumption and the possibility to make an informed choice based on an energy label. The understanding and use of existing labels should be increased.

8 partners from 7 countries co-operated in the EU-project. The project targeted on the one hand at end consumers with an information package to increase this level of awareness and understanding, but also addressed organisations and companies issuing energy labels, thereby contributing to a market development of energy labels from both sides of the market.

Energy labels are an instrument of increasing importance, for example the energy labels for buildings, energy labels for appliances or also labelling of electricity. One of the project activities was a description of Austrian labels, an international workshop and the development of an information folder.

Objectives

Energy labels are an energy policy instrument of increasing importance: the labels for household appliances, building certification systems (well developed in some countries, under development in others, foreseen in the new draft building directive) and the emerging labels for green electricity. All these labels aim at enabling end consumers to make a greener, a more environmentally friendly choice. Additionally, energy labels also provide information on the economic impact of investment decision by showing that higher initial costs are paid back by lower energy costs throughout the life-time of the appliance or the building, thereby decreasing the overall expenditure in this field. However, with the increasing number of energy labels (for appliances, buildings, green electricity) there is a certain risk of confusion of end consumers. That is why the objective of the project was two-fold:  

• firstly, it aimed at increasing overall awareness of "energy quality" in production and consumption and the possibility to make an informed choice based on an energy label
• secondly, it aimed at increasing the understanding and use of existing labels.

Based on the up-coming directives on buildings and electricity from renewable energy sources a number of labelling activities were organized during years 2002 and 2003. The proposed project could make an important contribution in speeding up the market penetration of these new labelling efforts.

The project targeted on the one hand end at consumers with an information package to increase this level of awareness and understanding, but also addressed organisations and companies issuing energy labels, thereby contributing to a market development of energy labels from both sides of the market.

Activities

Based on a "learning phase" (learning from existing energy labels and successful labels in other sectors), the project foresaw the development and dissemination of promotion packages for different target groups, as well as an activity targeted at companies and organisations issuing energy labels. Project activities were implemented in the 7 countries involved in the project (Austria, Finland, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, UK, Spain) as well as on EU-level.
 
The following activities were carried out:

1. Market overview

• Overview of existing energy labels in the fields of appliances, buildings and green electricity in the 7 involved countries, including both "official" labels as well as others (e.g. for green electricity developed by private companies)
• A short study in other sectors with well-introduced labelling systems for end consumers (e.g. organic farming) to learn about their dissemination strategies
• A survey of decision makers in companies and public buildings on their level of awareness and understanding of energy labels (in each country 30 decision makers were interviewed) as well as data collection on end consumer surveys about labels and - if existing - on energy labels.

This findings of this market overview was summarised in a report.

2. Development of an information package for end consumers

• Consumers' guide on energy labels: development and production of a very attractive leaflet that gives an overview of the relevant energy labels in each participating country. This leaflet was produced in 15,000 copies in each country, in total 110,000 copies.
• Slides: a set of 7 overhead transparencies/power point slides was produced to be used for presentations in schools, seminars, consumer information events etc., explaining different labels and their meaning
• Exhibition panels: 3 panels for fairs or exhibitions targeted at end consumers were developed and produced in each country giving information on the most relevant energy labels
• Internet site: all this information was also made available on the internet
• A "post card" that promotes the internet site was produced.

3. Dissemination of the information package

A well developed dissemination strategy ensured that the information package reached its target groups. Among others, this included the following activities:

For private households:

• dissemination via consumers' organisations
• participation in at least one exhibition targeted at end consumers in each country
• presentations & speeches for end consumers (at least 10 in each country)
• articles in newspapers and magazines (at least 3 articles will be placed in each country)
• through energy advice centres
• through links to highly-frequented web-sites

For public bodies & companies:

In each country, a list of at least 150 persons who can influence energy related investment decisions in the public administration and companies was developed. These 150 persons were personally contacted and informed about the possibility to make a "green choice" based on energy labels also in public buildings. Additionally, targeted mailings were sent. The findings of the projects were also disseminated to relevant experts in EU countries not participating in the projects, to countries in accession and via EU-wide organisations and networks.

4. Best practice on energy labelling and "labellers workshop"

Complementing the activities targeted at end consumers, this phase was addressed at organisations and companies issuing energy labels. An international workshop was held for "labellers" to provide a better understanding of existing labels and the possibilities labels could offer. This event offered an overview of the relevant EU legislation in this field, best practice examples for labelling and it gave guidance on which energy labels could be issued and used in the promotion products or services. Based on the results of the workshop and all the information collected in the framework of this project, a short paper on "best practice for energy labels" for decision makers (2-3 pages) was drafted that included the most important success factors for energy labels and their dissemination.

Results

The proposed activity aimed at increasing the level of understanding and the market acceptance of existing and emerging energy labels, thereby contributing significantly to an increased market up-take of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The following impact was achieved:

• 1,050 decision makers in 7 European countries personally contacted
• 110,000 copies of a consumers' guide in 6 different European languages produced and disseminated
• 7 sets of slides/transparencies on energy labels produced and used in at least in 70 presentations
• 21 exhibition panels produced and exhibited at 7 exhibitions and fairs attracting between 500,000 and 1 million visitors
• summaries of the findings sent to at least 250 organisations
• international workshop for organisations and companies held
• paper in "Best Practice for Energy Labels" written and disseminated.