The general objective of the project is to empower private stakeholders and public authorities in adapting and enforcing EU and national energy efficiency policies in the sector of professional cold products. A specific objective is to ensure more energy efficient professional cold products enter the EU market and increase their market shares, thereby contributing to the EU’s energy efficiency goals and policies. The product groups concerned relate to products cooling, refrigerating or freezing foodstuff and drinks in professional premises – from public buildings, to hotels, retailers, and canteens. These represent significant energy consumption, important differences exist between various models of the same product category, but, due to lack of clear regulation and lack of information, the potential for more energy efficient models remains untapped. The specific legislation concerned is the one regulating the minimum energy performance standards (Ecodesign) and energy labelling, as well as public procurement activities. The project benefits from ideal timing, since a number of the above mentioned product groups do not have an energy efficiency regulation in place, but these are planned to be developed and the project would therefore contribute to the knowledge of public authorities and policy makers on the specific performance characteristics of these product groups, based on which an effective legislation could be implemented and monitored. Target groups of this project are threefold: empowering public authorities in implementing effective policies on energy efficiency of professional cold products; motivating product manufacturers and suppliers in delivering more efficient models to the market; and working with the food industry, retailers, building operators and other stakeholders in demanding and procuring more efficient professional cold products.

TOPTEN ACT aims at empowering consumers to ACT: to purchase top energy-efficient products that will save energy over their lifetime. TOPTEN ACT develops a comprehensive market transformation strategy targeting consumers, manufacturers, retailers, large buyers, consumer associations and other key actors in 16 European countries, covering a combined population of 447 Mio inhabitants. It works with these actors to help them embrace and promote energy-efficient products, so that they become the natural choice for consumers. Project partners will: - Manage 16 Topten websites presenting up-to-date, consumer-oriented information to 2 Mio visitors per year. These websites will showcase top energy-efficient models in a number of product groups: domestic appliances, cooling and lighting equipment, consumer electronics, vehicles etc. They build on independent and reliable market surveys selecting the best available technologies (BATs) amongst hundreds of thousands of products. → Consumers identify top products, compare costs and understand the benefits of energy performance on their electricity bills and for the environment. - ‘Push’ this information to consumers through extensive use of the media, communications and partnerships with key organisations acting as multipliers. → Impartial information reaches consumers. - Work with retailers, leveraging on their unique market position, directly in contact with consumers about to ACT, to further increase purchases of energy-efficient product. → In just one click, consumers will find and buy top efficient products. TOPTEN ACT impacts are both quantitative —savings of 331 GWh/year triggered per million € invested— and qualitative: markets are more transparent, media report on top efficient products, multipliers relay the Topten message to their target groups, consumers change their using and purchasing behaviour, retailers change their range and highlight BAT products, manufacturers shift their production lines.

The objective of Heating And Cooling Knowhow and Solutions (HACKS) is to achieve market transformation for heating and cooling (HAC) appliances by motivating consumers to replace old and inefficient equipment with new energy efficient equipment; and to encourage solutions that consume less fuel, lower energy bills and improve users’ comfort and health. In the EU, almost half of all buildings have individual boilers installed before 1992, with efficiency of 60% or less. The associated energy savings of a speedy replacement are immense. To achieve these goals, 17 HACKS partners in 15 countries will raise awareness on HAC economic and environmental benefits via a communication campaign, and 15 dedicated national online platforms that will provide clear, understandable information. The focus will be on HAC appliances (e.g. boilers for space and water heating, local space heaters, etc.), but also on solutions that lower the energy consumption and avoid the installation of new equipment (shading systems, thermostats, taps and showerheads). HACKS will engage consumers by assisting them during the purchasing process of new HAC equipment. The online platforms will provide tools to receive customized information, interactive comment functions, product information, and direct links to the suppliers of the product. The online platforms will also provide guidance on how to improve consumers' situation while avoiding the purchase of unnecessary equipment as well as how to use and maintain devices. Finally, HACKS will work with all relevant stakeholders (“the multipliers”) that participate in the decision-making process of consumers by setting up strategic partnerships to promote and facilitate the purchase of energy efficient installed appliances. HACKS will place a strong emphasis on installers, retailers and consumer organisations because of their proximity to the consumers and capacity to involve and bring guidance on energy efficient equipment directly to them.