Do you Buy Bright?

Everyone has a role to play to enhance the efficient use of energy in the European Union, and for Europe’s public sector, never before has this role been so important. Under the European Commission’s Directive on the promotion of end-use efficiency and energy services (COM(2003) 739 final), Member States will now be required to establish national energy efficiency programs and ensure the availability of public procurement guidelines that take into account energy efficiency and enable an exchange of best practices among public sector bodies.

The Commission itself estimates that 24 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved annually from lighting products alone in the domestic and tertiary sector. The bulk of this should come from non-domestic sources, particularly public authorities that spend between 14 and 16 % of EU GDP on public procurement each year. However a large number of Europe’s public purchasers are still new to "Energy Efficiency" and “Green Procurement” and will need a steer in the right direction not only to the areas where they can make potential savings but also towards potential support mechanisms and initiatives to enable them to "Make the Switch" in practice.

Under the SAVE field of ‘Intelligent Energy Europe Programme (Type 3 actions), the European Lamp Companies Federation (ELC) in partnership with Energie-Cities, CEMR, WWF and CELMA, will organise THE BUY BRIGHT INITIATIVE.

This two day platform and networking event planned for 30th and 31st May 2006 will initiate a process to ensure a tailored exchange of experiences looking at practical and workable solutions to help public purchasers and procurement officers make the RIGHT purchasing decisions and be BRIGHT in investments that concern lighting.