Expected/Achieved results

• 16 hotels across 7 countries have been engaged as neZEH pilot hotels committed to medium term large scale renovation plans to accomplish NZEB goals.
• Capacity building activities engaging more than 1.600 hotel owners and building developers to the neZEH vision; practical tools available online, training material and tips, marketing guidelines and tools, neZEH e-toolkit empowering SME hoteliers to assess the energy consumption and identify solutions for energy efficiency improvement.
• 56.000+ hotel owners/ managers gain access to the project results, 490.000+ citizens and stakeholders reached at EU level.
• National neZEH networks have been created, supporting exchanges between the demand (SME hotel owners) and supply (sustainable building sector sides).
• Policy intervention at EU and national level; the neZEH consortium elaborated position papers with recommendations for policy makers for removing barriers and upscaling renovations towards NZE in the accommodation sector.

Long term goals

neZEH managed to raise awareness and knowledge of the nZEB concept at regional, national and European level, promoting the endorsement of nZEB policies and contributing, in this way, to:
• sensitise national authorities to put in practice policies that support SMEs in undertaking refurbishments to become nZEB
• 80-190 M€ investments in sustainable energy by 2020
• new green jobs creation
• reduction of GHG emissions up to 100.000 tCO2e/year by 2020.

Main indicators

Energy consumption indicators
Economic indicators

Responsible organization in charge of actions

Higher education and research institution(s): Technical University of Crete

Main stakeholders involved in the planning and implementation of the action

NGO(s): United Nations World Tourism Organization
NGO(s): Federation of European Heating and Air-conditioning Associations
NGO(s): Agentia pentru Managementul Energiei si Protectia Mediului - Brasov
NGO(s): Creara Consultores SL
NGO(s): Sustainable Innovation I Sverige AB
NGO(s): ENERGIES 2050
Higher education and research institution(s): Istituto Superiore sui Sistemi Territoriali per l’Innovazione
Higher education and research institution(s): ENERGY INSTITUTE HRVOJE POZAR
Other: Network of European Regions for a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism

Main investor

If available/relevant please specify also the share of public and private funding: The neZEH initiative was co-funded by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme (IEE) of the European Commission.

Necessary preconditions for best practice implementation

Four steps towards a nearly Zero Energy Hotel:
• Assess your hotel’s energy performance and identify actions needed to achieve nearly zero enery status
• Develop your business plan and specify the most suitable energy efficiency solutions and renewable energy technologies for the hotel. Identify financial instruments available at national and EU level
• Build up the renovation plan and a roadmap to achieve nearly zero energy status
• Inform staff and guests, make them ambassadors of the nearly zero energy experience

Main challeges encountered during planning, implementation and monitoring

No challenges have been reported.

Preconditions for replication

No specific preconditions required.