TABLE DES MATIÈRES


An operator or engineering firm can commit to savings with its client, most often focusing on energy but also potentially on temperature, costs (in euros), or CO2 emissions.



The contracts established between the operator or the engineering firm and the client can vary, ranging from standard operations to Energy Performance Contracts, CREM, or multi-technical contracts.



Operations


There are several levels of services within operational contracts, which can be subscribed to independently or combined into a single contract.

  • P1: Energy supply and management
  • P2: Equipment maintenance and servicing
  • P3: Comprehensive warranty and equipment renewal
  • P4: Financing of renovation work

Different types of contracts are possible based on the expected services:



Flat Rate (MF)

The energy is supplied by the operator, and the supplier's invoice is sent to them.

The client pays:

  • For heating: a flat rate for the heating operation period, adjusted for the actual number of days (based on the actual start and stop dates of heating).
  • For domestic hot water (DHW): a fee proportional to the volume of water used.

The operator commits to maintaining a specific ambient temperature and DHW temperature.

  • The severity of the winter does not impact the flat rate, but insufficient ambient temperature can lead to client complaints and penalties. There is no surcharge for excessively high temperatures.
  • P1 + P2



Temperature (MT)

The energy is supplied by the operator, and the supplier's invoice is sent to them.

The client pays:

  • For heating: a flat rate for a theoretical number of Degree Days, adjusted for the actual Degree Days (between the actual start and stop dates of heating).
  • For DHW: a fee proportional to the volume of water used.

The operator commits to maintaining a specific ambient temperature and DHW temperature.

  • The length of the heating period does not impact the flat rate, but insufficient ambient temperature can lead to client complaints and penalties. There is no surcharge for excessively high temperatures.
  • P1 + P2



Metering (MC)

The energy is supplied by the operator, and the supplier's invoice is sent to them.

The client pays an amount equal to the actual consumption measured by a useful heat meter, multiplied by the unit price of this energy.

The operator commits to maintaining a specific ambient temperature and DHW temperature.

  • P1 + P2



Fuel and Services (CP)

The energy is supplied by the operator, and the supplier's invoice is sent to them.

The client pays the supplier's invoice amount plus management fees.

  • P1 + P2



Flat-Rate Services (PF)

The energy is supplied by the client, and the supplier's invoice is sent to them.

The client pays a flat rate for the operation and maintenance of the equipment.

The operator commits to maintaining a specific ambient temperature and DHW temperature.

  • P2



Performance-Based Contracts (MTI, MCI, CPI, PFI)

An option is added for sharing savings and overconsumption compared to a target. The operator commits to a reference consumption (NB) defined for a theoretical number of Degree Days. Actual consumption (NC) is compared to this reference corrected by the actual Degree Days (N’B).

For PFI: The operator commits in the same way to a certain level of installation performance; the client must provide supplier invoices for monitoring purposes.



Energy Performance Contracts and Multi-Technical Contracts


The multi-technical maintenance contract includes obligations for maintaining and operating a building's technical equipment: heating, air conditioning, ventilation, security and surveillance systems, automation, communication, etc.

Contracts can go further into multi-service contracts, which also include reception, cleaning, mail services, and green space maintenance, essentially falling under "facility management."


In the context of public procurement, contracts can even include Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain (CREM or just REM), integrating everything with the same provider from design to multi-technical maintenance.

The key aspect of these contracts is that they can include Energy Performance Contracts, which are our focus. In such cases, one or more energy efficiency commitments are added to the overall service and maintenance contract. EPCs can also be found in work services (renovation, equipment replacement, management optimization) associated with efficiency and savings obligations (results compared to the completed work).


EPCs are derived from the European Directive 2006/32/EC of April 5, 2006, on energy efficiency.


Official definition: "An EPC is a contractual agreement between the beneficiary and the provider of a measure to improve energy efficiency, verified and monitored throughout the contract term, whereby investments (works, supplies, or services) in this measure are paid for based on a contractually defined level of energy efficiency improvement or another agreed-upon energy performance criterion, such as financial savings."


There are two main types of EPCs:

  1. Services: Technical building management, control systems, energy-saving actions on lighting, office equipment, elevators, and energy supply.
  2. Works and Services: Include the design and execution of work on HVAC systems and/or the building envelope.


They aim to reduce energy consumption (primary or final energy), increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix, or reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to an initial situation observed or a scenario described in the contract. Objectives are typically defined as a percentage compared to this baseline situation (e.g., the first year of operation aims for 95% of the reference, the next year 90%, etc.).


Defining the baseline situation is a critical point in establishing an EPC. It is accompanied by a comprehensive energy audit and usually requires a year of building operation without associated targets. A thorough understanding of the building's behavior in various situations is needed to determine the influence of external factors on consumption (weather, occupancy, etc.).


The operator compensates the client if the objectives are not met, and the benefits of over-performance are usually shared between the operator and the client. To verify whether the required performance is achieved, a strict Measurement and Verification protocol is implemented.

That's why, on N’gage, we propose selecting the category when creating a commitment to group contracts of the same category.

We will not sum contracts in MWh with contracts in °C.



For the Energy category, there is a default type created, "P1 Monitoring - Heat," and it is possible to create custom types. This will also be used for aggregating results by commitment of the same type.