Empowering stakeholders to deliver highly energy efficient professional cold products ('ProCold')

The general objective of the project was 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 was 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 related 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 benefited from ideal timing, since a number of the above-mentioned product groups do not have an energy efficiency regulation in place, but these were planned to be developed in 2018 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 were 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.