ESCOLIMBURG2020

ESCOLIMBURG2020 (Infrax ESCO)

Program Authority:

Province of Limburg/Infrax

Program Delivery Unit :

Infrax ESCO

Summary

ESCOLIMBURG2020 is a joint project of the Province of Limburg, Infrax (the provincial energy grid operator) and Dubolimburg, a provincial consultancy institute specialized in sustainable buildings. ESCO Limburg 2020 aims to accelerate the energy renovation of municipal properties in order to reach faster the Near Zero Energy (NZE) standard in the Province and to contribute to the achievement of the Province and 44 Municipalities’ climate objectives.

Through the involvement of Infrax’s existing public Energy Service Company (ESCO), created in 2010, a package of energy services to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings is offered to Limburg municipalities, which include free services (telemetry and monitoring, a feasibility study and an energy register for the properties) as well as a series of consulting services (including dynamic simulations and measurement campaigns), and eventually a fully implemented project. The ESCOLIMBURG2020 project aims to support, optimise and expand these ESCO activities. Proposed interventions can regard all aspects of energy consumption: heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, renewable energy, insulation, and they are characterized by high ambitions (savings > 30%, average 40%). The ESCO identifies the most optimal solution for the building, taking into account payback periods, available budgets and the requirements and needs of the administration.

To help local authorities gain an insight into their energy consumption, ESCOLIMBURG2020 provides – via Dubolimburg and during the course of personal discussions with policy makers – a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) for the various municipalities in Limburg. This report contains figures that are suitable for use for the follow-up measurement under the Covenant of Mayors. With the help of this follow-up measurement, the municipality can view, assess and verify CO2 emissions within its territory in relation to the impact of actions based on the municipal climate action plan.

The ESCO division of Infrax acts as the programme delivery unit for the ESCOLIMBURG2020 programme.

ESCOLIMBURG2020 is supported by the Intelligent Energy Europe programme through the MLEI-PDA assistance (Mobilizing Local Energy Investments). In 3 years the project is expected to mobilize EUR 19.8 million investments in sustainable energy.

Financing of energy renovation measures is a key aspect of the project. Municipalities can choose a pre-financing by the Infrax ESCO, in which the investment is repaid through savings in energy costs, or an own financing or bank loan via Infrax. ESCOLIMBURG2020 can also identify other possible financing options and techniques through a financial study, e.g. leasing, investment support, grants, or also the Limburg Climate Fund, which is supported by citizens and businesses. The Limburg Climate Fund (Limburgs Klimaatfonds) is a cooperative capital fund created on January 30, 2012 by the LRM investment fund, the Limburg climate company NUHMA and the cooperative company LIMCOOP, to invest in climate friendly projects. Both citizens, organisations and companies can by shares, that are used to provide loans to project developers. The profits from the fund are redistributed to the fund’s shareholders. The goal is to provide a return of 1% above the one of a classical savings account.

Documents

ESCOLIMBURG2020 EN [1]

ESCOLIMBURG2020 FR [2]

ESCOLIMBURG2020 BG [3]

ESCOLIMBURG2020 ES [4]

Overview

Ownership:

Public [5]

Implementation Model:

Separate Contracting based [6]

Operating Services:

Marketing [7]

Integration [8]

Financial Advisory [9]

Financing [10]

Assessment [11]

Type of Project:

Energy Efficiency (building retrofits) [12]

Energy Efficiency (public lighting) [13]

Ambition/Targets:

Up to 50% reduction of energy consumption [14]

Benificiaries:

Public Sector [15]

Funding Vehicle:

Financial Institutions [16]

Investment Funds [17]

Utility Funds [18]

Property Owner [19]

Financial Instruments:

Equity/Own funds [20]

Loans [21]

Grants [22]

Utility incentives [23]

Scalability of the Model:

Low [24]

Development Maturity:

Growth [25]

Financing Model

Model Description

How does it work?

Together with the local government, Infrax examines how municipal or provincial buildings can be made more energy efficient. Infrax looks for an optimal solution and works from the perspective of profit maximisation for the client.

Infrax follows an integrated approach and looks at the building as a total concept. It proposes the most optimal solution, taking into account payback periods, available budgets and the requirements and needs of the administration and the people on the work floor.

Infrax uses its in-house knowledge in the field of engineering, law, administration, monitoring of savings, coordination of projects, etc. This knowledge, which has become a field of specialisation for Infrax, is not always available at the local level, often because of the time required for acquiring such knowledge. Infrax prepares all the necessary works in-house– from the fine-tuning of the existing heating systems to a thorough and total renovation of the building.

All aspects of energy consumption are examined: heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, renewable energy and insulation. Infrax provides a total solution: information, advice, coordination, monitoring, implementation as well as financing.

In case of an ESCO pre-financing, the local government repays its investment in energy efficiency measures with what they save on energy costs.

Infrax uses framework contracts with specialized engineering companies and contractors in each of the relevant domains.

The goals of ESCOLIMBURG are in practical terms:

€ 19,837,230 in energy investments
A minimum of 30% energy savings per building with an average of 40% of the total project
The reduction of GHG emissions of 50,000 tons and at least 11,000 MWh / year of energy savings
44 local authorities receive a custom retrofitting & Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) for their heritage sites
Analyze, improve, and unroll the public ESCO model throughout the province of Limburg

Infrax ESCO follows a 7-step approach:

Feasibility study - Based on a questionnaire and a visit to the building, a feasibility study is prepared, which includes an estimate of the costs and final savings. This feasibility study is conducted free of costs for the public administration.
Detailed study - After approval by the municipal council, all the techniques contained in the feasibility study are discussed during a scope-setting meeting, so that any necessary adjustments can be made. Once the scope is approved, the engineering consultants start drafting the detailed study. For each technique, the necessary specifications, plans and lists of measurements are prepared. This phase is paid for by the municipality.
Call for tenders - Tenders are invited on the basis of a list of qualified contractors. This also allows local contractors to send a price quotation. These contractors have be pre-selected and shortlisted, based on a technical tendering process, with technical, operational and financial criteria. Infrax has selected contractors for each of the techniques that are typically encountered in the projects.
Award - After approval of the award report by the management committee of Infrax and the public administration, a kick-off meeting is held with all the parties involved.
Implementation - The kick-off meeting decides on the start date and implementation period for the works. During the implementation phase, Infrax is also responsible for monitoring the work site.
Final acceptance - Infrax is responsible for inspecting the implemented works, so that a provisional acceptance of the works can take place. Any problems that may be present are identified in cooperation with the implementing parties and resolved. The final acceptance takes place after one year, following inspection.
Financial settlement - The municipality or the province pays for the investment based on its chosen financial option. The investment can be made from the municipal or provincial budget, a standard loan or through pre-financing via Infrax (loan for a maximum period of 20 years). Additionally, Infrax offers new financing options, which will emerge from the financial study.

Organization and Partnerships

Province of Limburg

The Province of Limburg, located in Belgium, has 835,505 inhabitants (as per the count on 1 January 2010) and 44 municipalities. The provincial administration has set itself the ambitious goal of becoming climate neutral. The municipalities are important partners for achieving this goal and hence the province, as the assisting authority, has been designated as the ‘Covenant Coordinator’ under the Covenant of Mayors in 2010.

Limburg was the first province in Europe to succeed in getting all its municipalities to sign the Covenant Of Mayors on 30 November 2011.

Dubolimburg

Since 2009, Dubolimburg has been providing objective and independent (tailor-made) advice on sustainable building and living to the construction sector, local authorities and private individuals. Dubolimburg, as a provincial support centre, initiates awareness-raising and information campaigns,based on the instructions of the Province of Limburg.

Dubolimburg assists cities and municipalities in preparing and implementing their own, tailor-made climate action plans, e.g. by helping them perform CO2 baseline measurements. Key actions are the empowerment of innovative demonstration projects and providing guidance and advice for specific urban projects and construction projects, both with respect to renovation as well as new construction. The services provided by Dubolimburg act as a powerful driving force for leading cities and municipalities to the ESCO service of Infrax.

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries:

Municipalities, Cities and Provinces.

Operational Support:

Projects integration through the project delivery unit.

Financial Support:

Free energy bookkeeping, measurement campaigns (incl. Infrared Imagery scans of the building envelope) and audits.

Program Delivery Unit

Infrax ESCO (which is not a separate legal entity but an internal department), created in 2010, is the program delivery unit of the ESCOLIMBURG2020 programme,.

The unit operates as programme marketer, project integrator, financial advisor, financier and assessor.

Its core activities include:

Establishment of the global ambition of the customer (through the SEAP), identification of the buildings, proposal of the ESCO contract
(Free) feasibility studies to determine the energy savings potential
Detailed studies
Tendering for works, works supervision
Pre-financing or arrangement of financing via banks
Transfer of works and management of the repayment schedule
Follow-up and monitoring

Infrax ESCO offers 4 types of financing options:

Pre-financing by Infrax
Own financing by the customer
Bank loan
Limburgs Klimaatfonds (climate fund)

In 2013, Infrax ESCO had realized the following investments:

Number of feasibility studies: 217
Amount for feasibility studies: 6.006.000 €
Number of detailed studies: 76
Amount for detailed studies: 400.000 €
Works in progress: 4.417.659 €
Works executed: 329.535 €
TOTAL: 11.257.194
Program goal: 19 M€

In 2014, it reported 2 M€ of executed projects, in 9 municipalities, for 345 MWh energy savings and avoiding 72 tons of CO2.

By 2015 this has increased to 10 projects, 985 MWh saved and 207 tons of CO2 avoided.

Infrax ESCO employs a staff of about 8 people.

Program Delivery Unit Box

Legal Structure:

CVBA (Cooperative Company with Limited Liability)

Shareholders:

Public company

Staff Requirements:

Less than 10 full time employee [26]

Operational Costs:

Less than 10 million EUR [27]

Impact on Public Balance Sheet:

High [28]

Financial Details

Funding Mechanism

Delivery Unit Funding:

Unkown

Projects Funding:

Projects are funded by Infrax, through own funds or through bank loans

Results

In 2015, Infrax reported 2 M€ of realized energy saving investments, 985 MWh saved and 207 tons of CO2 avoided.

There is no data available on a global percentage of energy savings, but projects typically reach 15% to 40%. Payback times typically range from 2 to 15 years.

Contacts

Infrax

Infrax cvba, Gouverneur Verwilghensingel 32, 3500 Hasselt
Registered office: Koning Albert II-laan 37, 1030 Brussel

Telephone:

+32 (0)11 26 62 86

E-Mail:

Dirk.Schreurs@infrax.be [29]

Website:

http://www.infrax.be [30]

Sources

http://www.infrax.be [30]
Coopenergy, Province of Limburg, BE - “ESCOLIMBURG2020”
ESCOLIMBURG2020 brochure, BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER
Patrick Boucneau & Nele Vandenreyt, ESCOLimburg2020 & Limburg Climate Fund, Limburg CLIMATE NEUTRAL, Training & Networking Event NETCOM – Managenergy, 10 oktober 2013
Dirk Schreurs & Patrick Boucneau, Cooperation for refurbishment of municipal buildings in Limburg (B), Brussels, 08 October 2014 & 28 April 2015
Patrick Boucneau & Nele Vandenreyt, from SEAP to… real investments in municipal buildings
Public ESCO schemes: POSIT'IF (FR), ESCOLIMBURG (BE), ESCOSC (NL)