Improving the Triple E Register
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is implementing changes to the Triple E Register to improve the experience for vendors and purchasers alike.
Background
The Triple E Register is a list of products approved as being energy efficient. It helps all sectors to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs.
It came about in 2009 when the Revenue Commissioners began work to deliver a tax incentive that would drive national energy-efficient equipment purchases. The Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) came to life during this period. For businesses, using profits to purchase better equipment for their business rather than paying more tax is attractive and Ireland benefits from less energy-hungry equipment being used.
However, there needed to be a way to know that the products purchased really do save energy, are safe, and will continue to perform. Hence the development of the Triple E register. It is a searchable list of energy efficient products that SEAI maintains. Items on this register all meet a minimum set of stringent energy efficiency criteria and typically will be of a best-in-class efficiency standard.
It was a natural fit to use this for public procurement too. Procuring against this register will provide you with the assurance that you are purchasing a product of very high efficiency.
Product numbers across the register's 52 technologies have grown over time, with hundreds of vendors becoming familiar with the registration process. This continued throughout the 2010s, but change was due towards the end of the decade. It became clear that more could be done.
Stakeholder feedback
Our team has spoken to many stakeholders over the years to gather feedback on the register. SEAI know that users of the register are focused on quality (which primarily relates to product criteria), and user experience improvement. Here is some of the feedback we've received.
Vendors' feedback:
- Want to contribute to product criteria
- Care about the quality of products in the register
- Want a better experience lodging and managing products on the register
Purchasers' feedback:
- Want a range of products and vendors that suit different needs
- Want new technologies to be added as markets evolve
- Need a more contemporary experience that provides the information they need to make purchasing simple
This list is by no means exhaustive but gives a flavour of the stakeholder conversations our team has had in the last couple of years. Based on what we've learnt so far, we have developed a roadmap of improvement activities that is focused on the quality and experience aspects mentioned.
Next steps
SEAI have planned several initiatives, which should improve Triple E services. At times this can be a complex process: including the needs of stakeholders, improving IT systems to resolve the challenges, and working with our suppliers on the many pieces of the puzzle.
Here are the key focus areas we are working on:
Development of a new platform
- Better product application process
- Improved criteria management
- Faster update of products in the register
This has been an interesting process to date as we move through business analysis. We think there are some great opportunities to apply a modern experience to the register, which will make work within the platform much easier. I'm looking forward to updating our stakeholders as we move into the development phase this during the coming year.
Update of criteria
- A much-needed refresh of criteria across many technologies in the register.
- The new criteria will be published in the new Triple E platform when complete.
Our technical panel went through the existing criteria with a fine-tooth comb, updating for industry best practise and up-to-date EU market requirements. We used their drafts to show interested stakeholders what was being proposed and incorporated feedback into a final version.
There will be a further refresh around the time we make the new platform live.
Rejuvenation of the register's products
- Looking at ageing products
- Finding ways to help our registrants change the old for the new
Our technical panel completed a review of their product portfolios, looking at the evolution of the technologies over time to identify when significant efficiency improvements have occurred in their different markets. We learned that many products should be looked at by ourselves and our vendors to determine if they are still the best in class.
We want to communicate with this group during 2024 to provide options on how to review their product line-ups and decide if replacement with current offerings would be beneficial.
So, there you have it - a busy 2023 where we have done a lot of planning in the areas of IT and quality.
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