The Regional Director for Energy stated today that the promotion of energy efficiency in the Public Administration is “a strategic option of the Regional Government.” In this regard, she considered, on the one hand, “that this sector accounts for a significant share of energy consumption” and, on the other hand, that “its performance is more relevant due to the need to set the example in terms of energy efficiency and rational use of energy and other resources.”

According to Andreia Carreiro, "energy efficiency, i.e., working on the consumption component is essential to the pursuit of the Region's targets and commitments for the development of a low carbon economy. The public sector plays a key role in its implementation," which should be an "important stimulus for the adoption of good practices in the community.

In this follow-up, several actions are under way with the aim of stimulating the best energy efficiency practices in the sector, such as the Energy Efficiency Programme for the Regional Public Administration (ECO.AP Açores), in force since 2019, under which public entities designate a Local Energy Manager (GLE) for each of them.

The Regional Directorate for Energy has already provided training to approximately 90 professionals for this purpose, enabling them to take on the responsibility of promoting the correct use of energy and disseminating knowledge in this area. These training initiatives encourage best practices by proposing, promoting and monitoring the energy performance of buildings with a view to their optimisation, through the ECO.AP Barometer - an electronic energy management platform designed for this purpose.

Andreia Carreiro also revealed that 65 regional entities and 130 public buildings located throughout the archipelago are already registered in the Platform.

The Regional Director for Energy spoke at an online session of the Meetings with Energy Efficiency dedicated to Public Administration and Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS). The event also included the launch of Energy Efficiency Handbook for the Public
Administration, a guide for adequate energy management in these buildings, already available on the Energy Portal at https://portaldaenergia.azores.gov.pt/portal/Efici%C3%AAncia-Energ%C3%A9tica/Manuais.

The Energy Efficiency Programme for Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS), which encompasses energy audits, was addressed at this meeting, with the opening of a call for the allocation of support to projects aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and equipment operated by the IPSS and the Regional Public Administration.

The session ended with the presentation of practical cases concerning Energy Performance Contracts - a business model based on a contractual agreement between a developer and an Energy Services Company, promoting an approach in which investments made to improve energy efficiency are paid for according to the savings achieved.