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Energy efficiency is widely acknowledged as the most important strategy for achieving global energy and climate targets. Apart from its contribution to the reduction of energy consumption and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), improving energy efficiency can deliver a range of co-benefits to the economy and society. There are, however, indications that energy efficiency policy is still insufficiently anchored both in the EU and many Member States as well as at an international level. This thesis focuses on the question how to create more favourable preconditions for an effective anchoring of energy efficiency policy in energy and climate policy. The design of energy efficiency policies is analyzed in the frame of the setting of energy efficiency targets and the monitoring and evaluation of their success. This provides new insights in the functioning of policies and hence their improvement in view of target achievement.

With the Framework Directive 92/75/EEC on Energy Labelling of Household Appliances, the European Union introduced a labelling system that applies to major household appliances. The EU Directive requires manufacturers to provide the data strip (accurate product energy consumption information) with each appliance to the retailers. Retailers are compelled to provide all the appliances displayed in salesrooms with complete energy labels placed on top or front of the appliance in original size and colour and clearly visible (Directive 92/75/EEC). Retailers therefore play a crucial role in the implementation of the European energy label program. Surprisingly however, their role in the success of the program has not received any attention so far. In this paper, we first develop a theoretical framework to explain retailers' compliance with the Directive. The framework comprises instrumental motives for compliance like perceived costs and benefits of compliance as well as normative motives like internalization of regulation or social pressure to comply. These factors are moderated by retailers' ability to comply. Second, we test this framework econometrically on a sample of ca. 100,000 appliances from close to 1,400 retail stores in 27 European countries. Two sets of data were collected in each store: a compliance audit and a standardized survey of store managers. For the compliance audit, researchers noted for each household appliance available in the stores whether the energy label information was available, complete, and placed as required. The survey included perceptual measures of external and internal monitoring, manufacturer compliance, effort to comply, and consumer acceptance of labels. Using as dependent variable the share of completely labelled appliances per retailer - either at the aggregate level or per product category - estimation results of fractional logit models suggest that normative motives generally appear stronger than instrumental ones.

With the Framework Directive 92/75/EEC on Energy Labelling of Household Appliances, the European Union introduced a labelling system that applies to major household appliances. The EU Directive requires manufacturers to pro-vide the data strip (accurate product energy consumption information) with each appliance to the retailers. Retailers are compelled to "provide all the appliances displayed in salesrooms with complete energy labels placed on top or front of the appliance in original size and colour and clearly visible" (Directive 92/75/EEC). Retailers therefore play a crucial role in the implementation of the European energy label program. Surprisingly however, their role in the success of the program has not received any attention so far. In this paper, we first develop a theoretical framework to explain retailers' compliance with the Directive. The framework comprises instrumental motives for compliance like perceived costs and benefits of compliance as well as normative motives like internalization of regulation or social pressure to comply. These factors are moderated by retailers' ability to comply. Second, we test this framework econometrically on a sample of ca. 100,000 appliances from close to 1,400 retail stores in 27 European countries. Two sets of data were collected in each store: a compliance audit and a standardized survey of store managers. For the compliance audit, researchers noted for each household appliance available in the stores whether the energy label information was available, complete, and placed as required. The survey included perceptual measures of external and internal monitoring, manufacturer compliance, effort to comply, and consumer acceptance of labels. Using as dependent variable the share of completely labelled appliances per retailer - either at the aggregate level or per product category - estimation results of fractional logit models suggest that normative motives generally appear stronger than instrumental ones.

In this paper, we estimate the effects of COVID-19 on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Germany in 2020 at the sectoral and national level. Counterfactual emissions are estimated based on autoregressive econometric models and distinguish between different factors of emissions based on decomposition analysis. Our findings at the national level suggest that COVID-19 lowered GHG emissions in 2020 in Germany by about 45 Mt CO2-eq (6.1%). Accordingly, about two-thirds of the reduction in emissions between 2019 and 2020 in Germany may be attributed to COVID-19. Our findings at the sectoral level imply that all sectors, with the exception of the transport sector, would have met their emissions target in 2020 without COVID-19. Thus, for the buildings sector and the transport sector, our results suggest policy responses that differ from those pursued by the German government to comply with the provisions of the Federal Climate Change Act.

In this paper, we estimate the effects of COVID-19 on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Germany in 2020 at the sectoral and national level. Counterfactual emissions are estimated based on autoregressive econometric models and distinguish between different factors of emissions based on decomposition analysis. Our findings at the national level suggest that COVID-19 lowered GHG emissions in 2020 in Germany by about 45 Mt CO2-eq (6.1%). Accordingly, about two-thirds of the reduction in emissions between 2019 and 2020 in Germany may be attributed to COVID-19. Our findings at the sectoral level imply that all sectors, with the exception of the transport sector, would have met their emissions target in 2020 without COVID-19. Thus, for the buildings sector and the transport sector, our results suggest policy responses that differ from those pursued by the German government to comply with the provisions of the Federal Climate Change Act.

Neben Industrie, Haushalt und Verkehr war der Sektor "Gewerbe, Handel, Dienstleistungen" lange Zeit nur ein Restglied in der deutschen Energiebilanz. Mit über 80 % aller Arbeitsplätze und einem Energieverbrauch von 1,4 PJ pro Jahr ist er jedoch ein bedeutender Wirtschaftsfaktor. In einem Konsortium von Forschungsinstituten beleuchten die Autoren seit nunmehr 20 Jahren den Sektor detailliert und branchenspezifisch. Auf Basis regelmäßiger Betriebsbefragungen vor Ort erheben sie den Energieverbrauch der Arbeitsstätten, den Einsatz erneuerbarer Energie, die Energiekostenbelastung, den Flächenbestand sowie andere charakteristische Merkmale und Ausstattungen, die den Energieverbrauch beeinflussen. Die vorliegende Studie macht die Ergebnisse bis 2011 transparent. Sie enthält zahlreiche branchenspezifische Informationen und kann zugleich als Grundlage für regionale Energiekonzepte und für eine Politik zur Verbesserung der Energieeffizienz dienen.

Several barriers limit energy efficiency policy evaluation. This results in a lack of quantitative data, and impedes evidence-based analysis required to distinguish effective from ineffective energy efficiency policies. EPATEE aims at tackling this problem by raising the capacity of policymakers and implementers. The project provides them both with tools and with practical knowledge to make effective impact evaluation an integral part of the policy cycle. EPATEE makes use of existing evaluation experiences in a range of instruments, such as energy efficiency obligation schemes, regulations, financial incentives and voluntary agreements. Experience sharing is the core of the project. Lessons learnt from other EU initiatives and good practices in how to successfully evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of such energy efficiency policies will provide the basis for the development of guidelines and good practice evaluation tools. For further information please visit our website: www.epatee.eu. This report briefly describes the use and content of the Knowledge Base - an accessible online data base on policy evaluation studies. References to certain issues such as free-rider effects are provided in the corresponding review sections. In addition, the report takes upsome insights gained from reviewing the evaluation studies listed in the Knowledge Base. One key issue is the purpose of evaluations and the corresponding energy savings assessed. Another key issue is efficiency or cost effectiveness, as this metric relies on the type of costs and energy savings. Finally, the scope of the evaluation is extended to further impacts of energy efficiency measures, with a particular focus on macroeconomic impacts, their meaning and comparability.

Although significant improvements in energy efficiency have been achieved in home appliances and lighting, the electricity consumption in the European Union household has increased by 2% per year during the past 10 years. Some reasons are associated with an increased degree of basic comfort and level of amenities and with the widespread utilisation of new types of loads. Wishing to increase the understanding of the energy consumption in the EU households for the different types of equipment including the consumers' behaviour and comfort levels, and to identify demand trends, an energy monitoring campaign, was carried out in 12 geographically representative EU countries, accompanied by a lifestyle survey. From the measurements carried out it was concluded that Information Technologies and entertainment loads are key contributors to the power demand. In basically all types of loads there is wide range of performance levels in the models available in the market. Available technology, associated with responsible consumer behaviour, can reduce wasteful consumption. Based on a bottom up approach the European residential sector potential electricity savings that can be implemented by existing technologies and improved behaviour can reach 48%. The paper presents policy recommendations promoting market transformation and behavioural changes in the equipment selection and operation.

This report is dedicated to the development of energy efficiency indicators in Germany between 2000 and 2013. It analyses the main trends in energy consumption and energy efficiency since 2000 based on data and indicators from the ODYSSEE database. The report also gives an overview of the main national energy efficiency policies in Germany by sector. The main focus is on the policies which were reported by the Member States in the 3rd National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAP) under the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and on the new energy efficiency polices which were decided by the German Government in the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NAPE) from December 2014. The analysis is based on the MURE database on energy efficiency policies.

This publication presents and analyses the policies implemented in the building sector in the European Union, its Member States and Croatia and Norway. It mainly relies on the MURE database with policy measures on energy efficiency, covering all EU countries plus Croatia and Norway and also includes the quantitative impact of the measures (www.muredatabase.com). The tool can be used to support energy policy formulation by the European Commission, e.g. as part of the monitoring and evaluation of the National Energy Efficiency Actions Plans submitted under the Directives on End-use Energy Efficiency and Energy Services (ESD) and under the new Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). This brochure, while providing a general view on energy efficiency policies in the buildings sector, focuses on important issues and questions of energy policies directed towards financing the energy efficient transformation of the built environment.