Energy efficiency in the residential sector of PEEREA countries

Apartment buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine

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In March 2005, the Energy Charter Secretariat commissioned Energy-Strategies to realise a study on ‘Energy Efficiency in the Residential Sector from the Perspective of the Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and related Environmental Aspects – PEEREA’. The study covered the 51 signatory states of PEEREA.

Signatory states of PEEREA show a considerable diversity, i.a. in economic characteristics, climate, political and social heritage, and approaches with regard to formulating and implementing policies in favour of energy efficiency and sustainable energy in general. In order to take account of this diversity, five groups of countries were formed for the purpose of the study:

  • European Union Member States by April 2004;
  • New EU Member States since May 2005;
  • Non-EU South-East European countries;
  • Other OECD-countries;
  • Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union) and Mongolia.

The objective of the study was to identify policies and instruments to improve energy efficiency in the residential sector of each (group of) country/ies, taking into consideration cost-benefit aspects and specific regional and local circumstances.

The report includes:

  • An in-depth analysis of the residential energy consumption of each country, its structure and trends, including efficiency indicators;
  • Regulatory instruments;
  • Energy efficiency policies and programmes in the residential sector;
  • Interaction with policies for the promotion of cogeneration, district heating and renewable energy;
  • Identification of the most effective policies and instruments under the specific circumstances in each (group of) country/ies.

The research addresses both thermal (heating and cooling) and electric energy consumption (in particular electric appliances and lighting), and the specific instruments applied for each end use, including energy efficiency standards for buildings and standards and labelling for electric appliances.

While policies and instruments to foster energy efficiency in the building sector were found to have reached a high degree of sophistication, public acceptance and maturity in EU-15 and other OECD countries, major shortcomings were identified in South-East European and CIS countries and – to a lesser extent – in new EU Member States. Problems include weak implementation and enforcement of existing programmes, regulations and instruments; lack of effective complementary instruments to support existing regulation and insufficient public funding of programmes and implementing agencies.

The principal author of the report is Wolfgang F. Lutz, with contributions of Gautam S. Dutt, Marialba Endelli and Carlos G. Tanides.

The Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects (PEEREA) is a legally binding instrument that was signed together with the Energy Charter Treaty in December 1994 by the same 51 states that signed the Treaty itself. It requires its signatories to formulate energy efficiency strategies and policy aims, to establish appropriate regulatory frameworks, and to develop specific programmes for the promotion of efficient energy use and the reduction of harmful environmental practices in the energy sector.

December 2006