MERIT-OS

LIFE MERIT-OS is a European project that promotes the energy renovation of municipal public buildings, aimed particularly at small and medium-sized municipalities, which often lack the technical, administrative or financial resources needed to undertake this type of intervention.

For this reason, the project develops a one-stop-shop (OSS) model to offer municipalities an integrated service, combining technical, administrative, legal and financial support. Through these offices, municipalities receive guidance at all stages of the process: from the initial assessment of buildings and the identification of improvement opportunities, to the search for financing, the preparation of tenders and the supervision of works.

In its pilot phase, LIFE MERIT-OS will implement this model in Catalonia, where four provincial offices will be launched (in Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona). Each office will have specialised technical staff who will offer direct and personalised support to the municipalities in their province, coordinating with each other under a common structure. This decentralised approach will allow services to be adapted to local realities, make use of the territorial networks of energy agencies and generate synergies between municipalities with similar needs.

The experience gained in Catalonia will serve as a basis for replicating the model in other regions of Spain and the European Union.

The objective of the project is to simplify procedures, reduce technical and financial barriers, and strengthen local capacities to advance towards energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of public buildings.

Main objectives

• Accelerate the energy renovation of public buildings.
• Facilitate decision-making and the management of municipal projects.
• Promote NZEB and ZEB standards (nearly zero or zero emissions).
• Boost access to financing, including innovative models (crowdfunding, energy performance contracts, blended finance).
• Replicate the OSS model in other regions of Spain and Europe.

Expected results

• 293 municipalities advised (176 in Catalonia).
• 62 public buildings renovated (44 in Catalonia).
• 3.3 GWh/year of primary energy savings.
• Operational and replicable OSS model.

LIFE MERIT-OS practical guide to support the application of the model in other territories.

A project aligned with European and national energy and climate policies

LIFE MERIT-OS fits within the new regulatory and strategic framework promoted by the European Union to accelerate the decarbonisation and energy efficiency of public buildings. The Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 requires public administrations to reduce final energy consumption by at least 11.7% by 2030 and to annually renovate 3% of the total floor area of their public buildings. Meanwhile, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD, Recast) sets the objective that all public buildings must be zero-emission (ZEB) by 2050, and that Member States must develop national renovation plans prioritising the renewal of the public building stock.

In Spain, these directives are reflected in the objectives of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2021–2030, which foresees a 39.5% reduction in final energy consumption in the public sector and promotes technical assistance tools and one-stop shops to help local authorities plan and execute energy efficiency projects. The PNIEC also supports the use of innovative financing mechanisms—such as energy performance contracts, European funds or crowdfunding—and highlights the exemplary role of the public sector as a driving force in the energy transition.

Within this framework, LIFE MERIT-OS offers a practical and forward-looking response to European and national requirements by creating a one-stop-shop model that provides technical, administrative and financial support to municipalities. Thanks to this approach, local authorities will be able to meet the energy efficiency and decarbonisation targets set by the EU and the PNIEC, strengthen their local capacities, and lead the transition towards a more sustainable, efficient and resilient public building stock.