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.@ ( ) ( )
& Republic of the Philippines
ae | J DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

eg? (Kagawaran ng Enerhiya)

DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR NO. _DC2023-j0- 0030 py
GUIDELINES ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXCELLENCE AWARDS

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation
(EEC) Act declares the policy of the State to institutionalize energy efficiency and
conservation as a national way of life geared towards the efficient and judicious
utilization of energy by formulating, developing, and implementing energy efficiency
and conservation plans and programs to secure sufficiency and stability of energy
supply in the country to cushion the impact of high prices of imported fuels to local
markets and protect the environment in support of the economic and social
development goals of the country;

WHEREAS, Section. 3 of the EEC Act establishes a framework for introducing and
institutionalizing fundamental policies on energy efficiency and conservation,
including the promotion of efficiency and judicious utilization of energy, increase in
the utilization of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, and
delineation of responsibilities among various government agencies and private
entities;

WHEREAS, Section 9 of the EEC Act mandates the creation of the Inter-Agency
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee (IAEECC) to provide strategic
direction in the implementation of the Government Energy Management Program
(GEMP);

WHEREAS, Section 26 of the EEC Act provides the following non-fiscal incentives
for establishments that shall implement or are implementing energy efficiency
projects:

a. Provision of awards and recognition for innovations in energy efficiency and
conservation best practices, successful energy efficiency projects, and
energy-efficient products; and

b. Provision of technical assistance from government agencies in the
development and promotion of energy efficiency technologies.

WHEREAS, the EEC Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (EEC-IRR)
identify a Designated Establishment as a private or public entity in the commercial,
industrial, transport, power, agriculture, public works, and other sectors identified by
the Department of Energy (DOE) as energy-intensive industries based on their
annual energy consumption in the previous year or an equivalent annual index;

WHEREAS, Department Circular (DC) No. DC2020-06-0016 and its implementing
guidelines prescribe the implementation of the Minimum Energy Performance for
Products (MEPP) covered by the Philippine Energy Labeling Program (PELP) for the
empowerment of consumers in choosing energy efficiency products;

WHEREAS, DC No. DC2020-09-0018 provides the Guidelines in the Administration,
Classification, and Certification of Energy Service Company (ESCO) to enhance
professionalism, credibility, and quality of service;

Energy Center, Rizal Drive a 5 oe Street, Bonifacio Global U Cin Taguig City, Philippines 1632
No. (Trunkline) 7) 8479.
Website: hiaetheae doe.gov.ph; E-mail: infotandoe, gov.ph

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DC on Guidelines on EEE Awards Page 2 of 7

WHEREAS, DC No. DC2020-12-0026 adopts the Guidelines on Energy Conserving
Design of Buildings to provide energy efficiency guidance in the design and
construction of buildings in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, DC No. DC2021-01-0001 provides the Guidelines for the Qualifications,
Assessment, Registration, and Certification of Certified Energy Conservation Officer
(CECO), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), and Certified Energy Auditor (CEA)
towards raising the professional standards of Energy Efficiency Practitioners;

WHEREAS, DO No. DO2021-09-0014 provides for the Guidelines on Energy
Efficiency Excellence (EEE) Awards;

WHEREAS, DC No. DC2022-03-0006 or the Adoption of Training Regulations and
Certification Process for Energy Auditors (EA), DC No. DC2022-03-0007 or the
Adoption of Training Regulations for the Certification of Energy Conservation
Officers (ECOs), and DC No. DC2022-03-0008 or the Adoption of Training
Regulations and Prescribing Certification Process for Training Institutions and
Energy Managers (EMs) provide the training regulations, certification process, and
recognition of training institutions;

WHEREAS, DC No. DC2023-05-0018 or the Adoption of the National Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Plan (NEECP) and Roadmap 2023-2050 defines and
outlines all EEC programs to be implemented, their objectives, and the associated
emission reduction targets over various time horizons, including the conduct of EEC
recognition awards;

WHEREAS, the DOE conducted public consultations attended by various
stakeholders on 17 August 2023 to present the draft DC and to consolidate the
inputs from stakeholders in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to provide the guidelines on the institutionalization of the
EEE Awards.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing premises, the DOE
hereby issues, adopts and promulgates the following:

Section 1. Title. This DC shall be known as the “Guidelines on EEE Awards”.

Section 2. Scope and Application. This DC shall govern the implementation of the
EEE Awards, including its operationalization, administration, and budgeting.

Section 3. Purpose. This DC is issued to prescribe the guidelines, including the
categories and criteria for qualifications, processes and procedures, and timelines for
the implementation of the EEE Awards. Further, this DC aims to provide the
following:

a. Establishment of the award categories under residential, commercial,
industrial, and transportation sectors, outstanding individual/groups,
government offices, ESCO, and other awards for EEE as identified by both
local and international award-giving bodies;

b. Procedure on application, including selection process, and establishment of
pre-qualification criteria;

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DC on Guidelines on EEE Awards Page 3 of 7

c. Composition of the EEE Awards Selection and Validation Committees,
including roles and functions;

d. Conduct of pre- and post-award visits; and
e. Logistical and administrative arrangements of the EEE Awards.

Section 4. Objectives. The recognition of outstanding and exemplary EEC
initiatives aims to:

a. Promote energy management systems and best practices on energy
efficiency in all designated establishments including local and national
government facilities;

b. Adopt innovative energy management approaches into policies, guidelines,
and practices;

c. Motivate industries to implement energy management projects, practices, and
measures to enhance business growth;

d. Recognize demonstrated best practices in industries; and

e. Promote renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies across
sectors.

Section 5. Non-Fiscal Incentives. Pursuant to the EEC Act and the EEC-IRR,
establishments that shall implement or are implementing energy efficiency projects
shall be entitled to the following non-fiscal incentives:

a. Awards for innovations in energy efficiency and conservation best practices,
and successful energy projects and energy efficiency products;

b. Recognition of Consistent Finalists. Finalists who are consistently on the top
entries for three (3) consecutive years but were not conferred any award for
the last three (3) years shall be recognized through a special citation.

The total number of special citations shall be determined by the EEE
Validation Committee subject to the endorsement of the Selection Committee
and subsequent approval of the DOE Secretary. The Validation Committee
shall develop criteria to address the selection of finalists for Special Citation;
and

c. Technical assistance from government agencies in the development and
promotion of energy efficiency projects.

The DOE-Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) shall align the
implementation of this DC with NEECP to further strengthen and promote energy
efficiency and conservation in the commercial, industrial, residential, transportation,
agricultural, and power industries.

Section 6. Award Categories. The EEE Awards are conferred to categories for
energy management in industries and buildings, outstanding energy efficiency (EE)
practitioners and entities, government, energy-consuming products, and special
awards.
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DC on Guidelines on EEE Awards , Page 4 of 7

The DOE, through the EUMB, shall issue an Advisory covering the definition,
qualifications, and criteria for judging the categories. Updating of categories shall be
based on the prevailing categories of relevant international award-giving bodies.

Section 7. Qualifications. The DOE, through the EUMB, shall issue an Advisory at
least a month before the start of the pre-qualification period of the EEE Awards. The
Advisory shall cover the categories, sub-categories, qualification, application and
selection process, and timeline of the awards for said year.

Section 8. Application and Selection Process. Entities covered by the EEC Act
are eligible to participate in the EEE Awards, provided that the qualification
requirements are met and are compliant with existing and prevailing requirements
under the EEC Act, the EEC-IRR, and all relevant issuances. The entire cycle of the
EEE Awards shall be based on the following chronological activities:

a. Advisory on the start of the EEE Awards Season. The DOE, through
EUMB, shall announce through an Advisory every second quarter of the year
the official start of the EEE Awards Season. The Advisory shall include all
relevant information to the implementation of the EEE Awards for that year
(Categories, Sub-Categories, Criteria, Timeline, etc.).

b. Submission of Intent to Join the EEE Awards. All interested entities from
the commercial, residential, industrial, transportation, agriculture, and power
industry shall submit their self-assessment tools that shall be provided by the
DOE on a predetermined date. The self-assessment tool shall cover basic
information of the entry together with supporting information such as passive
and active design of the facility, building energy efficiency index, energy
savings, and investment costs, among others.

c. Preliminary Screening. For an entry to be included in the short-listed entries,
a preliminary screening shall be conducted by the EEE Awards Validation
Team to ensure the completeness and correctness of their submitted
documents.

d. Notification of Finalists. \dentified short-listed entries after the evaluation of
the self-assessment tool shall be directly notified by the DOE through e-mail.
The notification shall also indicate the category and subcategory that the entry
has qualified for.

e. Submission of Final Entry. Upon notification, the short-listed entries shall be
given a deadline to submit the final version of their entry. Only those who shall
be able to comply with the deadline shall be classified as finalists for the
season of the EEE Awards.

f. Desk Evaluation/Field Validation. The secondary data reviews shall be
conducted through desk evaluation and/or field validation, if necessary. The
evaluation and validation shall be based on the published criteria of the DOE
through the issued Advisory. The applicant shall be rated based on the
weighted distribution of the criteria.

g. Final Deliberation of the Awardees. The EEE Awards Selection Committee
shall review and deliberate the results of desk evaluation/final validation.
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DC on Guidelines on EEE Awards Page 5 of 7

Upon consensus of the EEE Awards Selection Committee, the awardees shall
be selected and recommended to the DOE Secretary.

Section 9. EEE Awards Validation and Selection Committee. To ensure the
smooth, effective, and timely implementation of the activities of this Circular, the
following Committees are organized:

a. EEE Awards Selection Committee. The Committee shall be composed of
the following:

Chairperson : Undersecretary supervising EUMB
Vice Chairperson: EUMB Director

Members  : ESCO Representative
EE Practitioner Representative
MEPP/PELP Stakeholder Representative

Secretariat :EUMB - EEC Program Management and Technology Promotion
Division (EPMPD)

The quorum to conduct business is through the majority of the members of
the committee.

The EUMB shall identify representatives of ESCO, EE Practitioner, and
PELP/MEPP Stakeholder who can be nominated to the Committee.

b. EEE Awards Validation Committee. The Committee shall be composed of
the following:

Head: EUMB Assistant Director

Members: EUMB Division Chiefs as the Focal or their Alternate
Representative/s

Secretariat! EUMB - EPMPD

Section 10. Roles and Functions of the EEE Awards Committees. The following
shall be the roles and functions of the various EEE Awards Committees:

a. EEE Awards Selection Committee

1. Oversee the implementation and monitoring of activities of this Circular;

2. Provide general direction on the EEE Awards, including non-fiscal
incentives provided under this Circular;

3. Approve the evaluation criteria and its weighted distribution.

4. Recommend the approval of the awardees to the DOE Secretary
and/or to the IAEECC for EEE Awards for Government; and

b. EEE Awards Validation Committee

1. Assess and evaluate applicants/entries;
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DC on Guidelines on EEE Awards Page 6 of 7

. Conduct field validation for all categories, if necessary;

. Prepare validation reports and citations of nominees for all categories;

. Recommend awardees to the EEE Selection Committee;

. Coordinate activities for the implementation of the assessment and
awards mechanism;

. Lead the improvements of guidelines, assessment/scorecards; and

. Submit all relevant reportorial requirements, as may be required.

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Section 11. Assessment Criteria. The EUMB shall develop assessment criteria
and scorecards, to be used by the EEE Awards Selection and Validation
Committees.

Section 12. Awarding. An applicant/entry that qualifies and passes all assessment
areas provided in the published Advisory, subject to the recommendation of the
Awards Selection Committee and approval by the DOE Secretary, shall be conferred
as an Awardee for the said year.

The EUMB shall prepare all the requirements, covering administrative, financial,
logistical, and other related activities, for the successful implementation and
execution of the awarding ceremonies.

The date of the awarding ceremony shall coincide with the celebration of the
National Energy Consciousness Month (NECM) and subject to the availability of the
concerned officials. Awardees shall be notified two (2) weeks before the awarding
ceremony.

Section 13. ENERHIYA Awards. The Energy Efficiency Recognition and Honors for
Innovative and Yield Advancement (ENERHIYA) Awards shall be given to awardees
who won for the same subcategory three (3) times.

For the EEE Awards in Energy Management for Industries and Building and EEE
Awards for Government categories, winners shall not be allowed to compete for the
same subcategory for the next three (3) years to fully show the improvement in the
performance of their building/facility.

For the EEE Awards for Outstanding Energy Efficiency Practitioner and Entity,
winners shall not be allowed to compete for the same subcategory for the next two
(2) years.

Recognition or awards that are not under the title of the EEE Awards shall not be
used as a qualification for the ENERHIYA Awards.

Section 14. Information Dissemination and Subsequent Guidance. The EUMB
shall conduct nationwide information dissemination activities to provide
comprehensive orientation and workshops for stakeholders regarding the EEE
Awards.

Further, the EUMB Director may issue Implementing Guidelines (IG) and Advisories,
as necessary, for a more streamlined and efficient implementation of this DC.
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DC on Guidelines on EEE Awards Page 7 of 7

Section 15. Redress Mechanism. Any grievance should be made in writing by the
interested party within fifteen (15) days after the official announcement of results citing
the grounds of their complaint or appeal.

The EEE Awards Selection Committee shall address any grievance, complaint, or
appeal received arising from the evaluation and validation of the submissions within
seven (7) working days.

Section 16. Funding. The budgetary requirement to cover the activities of the EEE
Awards shall be sourced from the General Appropriations Act (GAA), subject to the
usual planning, budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations.

Section 17. Confidentiality. All submitted information and data shall be treated with
utmost confidentiality and can only be used for monitoring, planning, and policy
development of the DOE and other activities geared towards the continued
implementation of the EEC Act. No information and data shall be used for profit in any
form.

Section 18. Repealing Clause. The provisions of DO No. DO2021-09-0014, other
circulars, orders, issuances, rules, and regulations, inconsistent with this DC are
hereby repealed, amended, modified, or superseded accordingly.

Section 19. Separability Clause. If for any reason, any section or provision of this
DC is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected shall remain in full
force and effect.

Section 20. Effectivity. This DC shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. A copy of this DC shall be filed
with the University of the Philippines Law Center - Office of the National Administrative
Register.

Issued on October 2023 at Energy Center, Rizal Drive corner 34" Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

RAPHAEL P.M. LOTILLA Bi dud“
ecretary sve.

OCT 27 2023