How can homeowners, communities, and businesses renovate their buildings, cut energy costs, and still feel comfortable indoors? The EBENTO project has been working on this challenge and now offers an innovative answer: a new framework for Energy Performance Contracts (EnPCs), fully integrated into the EBENTO one-stop-shop platform.

Traditionally, energy renovation contracts have focused on technical upgrades and achieving a specific percentage of energy savings. EBENTO’s new approach goes further by introducing comfort guarantees and demand-response features. This ensures that building renovations not only save energy but also create healthier, smarter, and more affordable living environments.

What’s New with EBENTO Contracts

EBENTO’s EnPC framework redefines how building energy efficiency projects are designed and delivered.

One of the most significant changes is the inclusion of comfort as a measurable outcome. While most renovation contracts limit themselves to promising energy efficiency, EBENTO adds the dimension that matters most to people: comfort. The new model guarantees healthy indoor air quality, stable temperatures throughout the year, and lighting conditions that support wellbeing. Comfort is no longer treated as an optional benefit—it becomes an integral part of the contract.

The framework also introduces flexibility through demand response. Rather than consuming energy on autopilot, buildings operating under EBENTO contracts can interact intelligently with the wider energy system. By adjusting energy use to periods when electricity is cleaner, cheaper, and more abundant, occupants reduce their energy bills while contributing to a more stable and sustainable grid.

Every EBENTO agreement is also tailored to the specific context of the project. A housing cooperative renovating an apartment block, a municipality upgrading public buildings, or a homeowner improving a single house will each have unique requirements. The EBENTO one-stop-shop platform allows these differences to be reflected in the contracts, ensuring clarity, fairness, and relevance for all stakeholders.

Trust through transparency and accountability are central to the EBENTO model. One of the key barriers to energy renovation is uncertainty—many clients question whether promised savings will materialize or who will take responsibility if something fails. The EBENTO framework addresses this by clearly defining responsibilities, incorporating transparent monitoring and verification processes, and ensuring that both clients and contractors have confidence in the results. This transparency reduces disputes and builds long-term trust.

Finally, EBENTO embeds innovation into its contract design. The new framework enables emerging business models such as “comfort-as-a-service,” where residents pay for actual performance rather than simply for equipment or upgrades. It also integrates digital monitoring, flexible financing options, and smart technologies, making it adaptable to future developments in the energy sector.

Why This Matters

Europe’s renovation wave is about much more than installing insulation or solar panels. It is about building trust, reducing barriers, and making energy efficiency attractive and accessible to everyone. By placing comfort, transparency, and flexibility at the centre of its new contract model, EBENTO makes energy renovation simpler to manage and more rewarding for both citizens and energy service providers.

Tested in Real Life

EBENTO’s new EnPC framework is being tested through four pilot projects in Valencia, Athens, Tallinn, and Manchester. Each pilot demonstrates how different communities—from municipal buildings to cooperative housing—can benefit from the model. These real-world tests ensure that the framework is not only conceptually strong but also effective and practical in everyday use.

Looking Ahead

By integrating this contract framework into the EBENTO one-stop-shop platform, the project is creating a practical, trustworthy, and user-friendly tool for all stakeholders involved in the energy renovation process—from homeowners and cooperatives to municipalities, ESCOs, and energy providers. The result is a new kind of agreement that saves money, reduces emissions, and enhances comfort under one transparent and reliable system.

EBENTO demonstrates that the future of energy-efficient building renovation is not only technical—it is personal. With EBENTO, energy efficiency becomes smart, fair, and comfortable.

 

 

 

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