"Display(TM)" Combining local action with community legislation implementation

Panel: Panel 2. Making buildings more energy efficient

Authors:
Peter Schilken, Energie-Cités
Gérard Magnin, Energie-Cités

Abstract

Display(TM) is a European Campaign aimed at encouraging European municipalities to publicly display the energy, water and green house gas emission performances of their municipal buildings. The Campaign is the first of its kind in Europe and is supported by the European Commission - DG ENV and DG TREN. It will run from 2003 till the end of 2007.

Display(TM) is within the scope of the Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. The objective of Display is to anticipate the implementation and to provide European municipalities with an opportunity to be one step ahead of this Directive. Display does not intend to be only a certification scheme, it is an information tool to raise the public awareness of energy consumption too.

At present, 60 municipalities from 19 European countries are partaking in the Campaign, though efforts are currently being made to extend the number of participants to at least a hundred cities by the end of June 2005.

The most visible part of Display is a poster, based on the now well-known principle of energy labels for household electrical appliances and which has been adapted for use on public buildings. This is one reason for the poster being easily understood and accessible by citizens. In the foreground of the poster there are pictures showing the classification of the building. It features a range of classes from A to G for the overall primary energy consumption, the resulting CO2 equivalent emissions, and water consumption.

Display, definitely an invitation to take action!