Introduction

This purpose of this project was to increase the knowledge base of energy efficient buildings for professionals within the building sector of the south of Sweden.

Objectives and target audience

Objective:-

• Increase the knowledge about energy efficient buildings for professionals in the building and property sector.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

When the first reactor of the Swedish nuclear power plant Barsebäck was closed down in 1999 the Swedish parliament decided to fund energy saving projects in the south of Sweden instead.  The Delegation for Energy Supply (DESS) was created to supervise projects and was in charge of over 40 M€.  The project “Revival meetings – Energy efficient buildings” had a budget of approximately 600 k€.

Process

Revival meetings:-

• 2 hour cost-free breakfast and lunch seminars, talking about energy efficient buildings with professionals;

Meeting issues included:-

• Energy use in buildings today and in the future;
• Directive of energy declaration;
• Lifecycle calculation;
• Importance of a good climate shell;
• Profitable, energy efficient installation;
• Results from research;
• How should energy matters be handled within a building project;
• The result from a selection of approximately 200 energy analyses’
• Presentation of courses to follow spring 2004.

• Companies had the possibility to have the seminars in their host buildings which was an option that many used.

Preparations:-

• A presentation for the revival meetings was arranged by the three energy agencies, an advertising agency, universities and DESS;

• Test seminars where performed to discover the relevant view-points about the structure of the seminar and to gather experience for the up and coming tour in autumn.

Promotions:-

• Before every revival meeting a dispatch was made by email and post to companies and organisations within the building and property sector in relevant municipalities.  The dispatch contained a folder with a short presentation of the campaign, information about the revival meetings and information about up and coming short courses.

Results

Revival meetings:-

• Over 2000 professionals attended the revival meetings;
• The revival meetings were held in over 70 different places;
• 18 of the meetings were hosted at participating companies;
• In Skåne, 70 – 80 % of meetings occurred within the private sector.

Courses:-

• 12 different courses were offered, at least 10 participants were required and a  maximum of 25 were allowed to attend each course;
• Each course was held at least once.
• In total 34 course days were carried out, with a total 614 participants.

Seminar:-
A total of 65 people attended the seminar which Skåne Energy Agency arranged with regards to energy efficient windows and sun protection for buildings.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

Success factors:-

• Marketing is very important and a considerable amount of effort was committed to secure good marketing events;
• The presenting of short seminars (revival meetings) appeared to be successful in a business although in normal circumstances, these are do not normal occur;
• A variety of interesting and intellectual subjects were reviewed at these revival meetings;
• Good timing and there was excellent focus by the participants regarding the energy matters issues that were brought to the revival meetings;
• There was plenty of positive response from media i.e. there was approximately 20 articles presented in the local press including the professional press.