Objective:
Current harmonised standards often do not reflect real-life energy use, leading to overestimated impacts of EU Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulations. This topic aims to better understand actual energy consumption and pollutant emissions by promoting test methods closer to real-life use. It also supports improving future regulations and the accuracy of EU ecodesign impact models.

Expected Impact:
Proposals should clearly define the expected results, link them to the objectives, and quantify them at project end and five years later. Projects must help assess the real-world impact of ecodesign and labelling regulations, using existing and project-specific indicators, such as:

• Energy use and related CO₂ emissions for monitored products
• Typical energy consumption data across the EU
• Real-life determinants of energy use
• Policy recommendations to improve legislation and standards

Scope:
Projects must carry out in-situ measurement campaigns across a representative sample of EU households. The focus should be on products relevant for policymaking and easy to measure (e.g. displays, fridges, cooking appliances). Campaigns should gather data on energy use, usage conditions, and influencing factors (e.g. thermostat settings, user habits), and propose improvements to related regulations and standards.

Key considerations include:

• Balance between number of products, geographic coverage, and sample size
• Measurement duration of around 36 months
• Household engagement and data protection
• Inclusion of technical, statistical, and community engagement expertise
• Collaboration with stakeholders like NGOs and consumer organisations

Eligibility & Funding:

• Minimum of 3 applicants from 3 different eligible countries
• Recommended EU contribution: up to €2 million
• Maximum funding rate: 90%
• Only one project will be selected under this topic