Building-related energy consulting practice: An Austrian perspective

Abstract

Building-related energy consulting has been suggested to represent an effective energy efficiency improvement instrument, particularly in the privately-owned and enterprise sectors. The European Union has obligated its member states, via the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, to implement measures to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Energy consulting represents one such measure. The present contribution sheds light on the current practice of energy consulting in Austria. We discuss the implementation of energy consulting as an energy efficiency measure, the training of the consultants, and how the energy consulting process is currently organized. In addition to obtaining available statistical information and documentation of legal boundary conditions, we interviewed representatives of six federal agencies in Austria who are responsible for energy consultancy. The obtained information and the interview results facilitated the treatment of a number of relevant questions: i) Does the energy consultancy process contribute to the elevation of the awareness level of clients regarding energy efficiency matters? ii) Does energy consultancy need to be mandatory for building owners considering a building retrofit? iii) Do we need academic programs for the education of energy consultants? iv) Does the status of energy consulting, as a non-commercial service, represent a well-thought-out concept? v) What factors hamper achieving higher levels of building-related energy efficiency? The results of this contribution can contribute to the further development of energy consulting practices in Austria and other EU member states.