main content
Pilot project: Contracting in State Properties
Self-obligation of the Government
The Federal Government recognises the use of innovative contracting models as an important instrument in achieving the self-imposed and internationally applicable climate protection goals. Within the scope of the national climate protection program, the government has made a commitment to reduce the CO2 emissions of its own properties. The primary aim of this self-commitment is the reduction of CO2 emissions and a 21 % reduction of greenhouse gases, compared to the reference year of 1990, over the period 2008 to 2012.
Pilot project: Energy efficiency contracting
On 17th April 2002, the German government decided on a national strategy for sustainable development. This contained the proposed project "Energy Efficiency Contracting in State Properties". The aim of the project is to optimise the energy use of as many suitable state properties as possible through contracting out projects in order to reduce costs and contribute to satisfying the self-commitment of the government.
What is energy contracting?
Contracting as a comprehensive solution approach:
Contracting is a proven form of public-private partnership. A specialised energy services company signs a contract with a building’s owner guaranteeing to reduce the energy costs by a certain percentage (energy-saving contracting) or to provide energy at a lower price (energy-supplier contracting). The contractor plans, finances and implements measures for saving energy, and/or optimising the energy supply, and also operates, maintains and continually perfects the installed systems for a long contractual period, usually seven to fifteen years.
No additional costs result for the contracting body, i.e. a municipality or the Federal government. The expenditure and investments of the contractor are refinanced over the contractual period through profit sharing of the saved energy costs or through remuneration for the supplied medium, such as heating, cooling or electricity. This means that the public household does not have to carry these costs. Often the energy costs can be significantly reduced through the use of optimised system technology in modernised or new generating plants. The contractor adopts the commercial and technical risks and covers his/her expenses via profit-sharing of the saved energy costs or via the agreed supply prices.
The two main energy-contracting models are energy-supplier contracting and energy-saving contracting.
Project coordination by dena
In accordance with the decision by the cabinet, the professional execution and steering of the project is performed by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena). The main areas of activity are:
Clarification of the budget-handling issues in contracting
- Clarification of questions relating to the call for tenders and legal contractual issues and the preparation of sample contracts and sample calls for tender.
- Selection of suitable properties for contracting projects
- Preparation of calls for tender and accompaniment of the tendering process
