Decarbonising the public building stock requires innovative financing mechanisms that accelerate deep renovation at the local level. In Spain, Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs) have emerged as a powerful tool for converting energy efficiency retrofits into direct financial returns for municipalities.

To address practical implementation pathways, the FACILITA Project Community of Practice (CoP) hosted a dedicated technical session on 30 September, which gathered 114 professionals and energy efficiency experts, focusing on legal frameworks, public procurement strategies, and municipal case studies.

Legal frameworks and public procurement pathways

A primary focus of the workshop was identifying the most effective administrative channels for local authorities to claim and monetise final energy savings.

Rodrigo Morell (CREARA) outlined the primary contractual routes for embedding CAE monetisation into standard public tenders:

  • Transfer of processing rights: Highlighted as the most streamlined route for local councils, allowing the transfer of CAE rights via tailored clauses in works, services, or supply contracts without complex concession models.
  • Contractual flexibility: Municipalities can monetise CAEs through Energy Performance Contracts (EPCs) with Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), direct works contracts, or direct sale to Obligated Parties.
  • Regulatory safeguards: The importance of clearly establishing energy saving ownership, risk-sharing mechanisms, and economic settlement terms within tender documents.

Municipal execution & practical value: lessons from Pamplona

The practical application of CAEs at the municipal level was presented by Carlos Fernández Tobías (Pamplona City Council), who shared insights on structuring public retrofits.

  • Early procurement integration: Monetisation parameters must be built into public tender specifications right from the initial project design phase.
  • High-impact project areas: Outdoor public lighting, HVAC upgrades, and building envelope retrofits offer the highest yield for validated CAEs.
  • Non-debt revenue generation: Capturing CAE value provides municipalities with direct private-sector revenue that offsets upfront capital expenditure (CAPEX) without increasing municipal debt.

Standardisation and support for local authorities

To ensure widespread adoption across all municipal tiers, Jaime Carnicero (FEMP) highlighted institutional support mechanisms designed to overcome capacity constraints.

  • Standardised tools: Deploying model clauses and tender templates to simplify administrative workflows for municipal staff.
  • Project aggregation: Pooling smaller retrofits across multiple local councils to reach attractive energy saving volumes for market verification.
  • Territorial cohesion: Ensuring small and medium-sized municipalities receive technical assistance equivalent to larger urban centers.

Technical support: the FACILITA One-Stop-Shops (OSS)

The FACILITA project supports public building renovation across Spain by delivering technical, legal, and financial assistance through three regional One-Stop-Shops:

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Are you a public manager or expert working on public sector building renovation? Join the FACILITA Community of Practice (CoP) to gain access to exclusive technical guidance, model tender documents, session recordings, and invitations to upcoming workshops.
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