From Energy Audits to Action: Advancing Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Mauritius – Session 2 – 11.06.2026

The second day of the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC) and Energy Efficiency Management Office (EMO) training series built on the previous session’s technical foundations by exploring how high-quality energy audits can be transformed into financeable energy efficiency projects. Moderated by Trupti Yargattimath, the webinar featured presentations from Zhuolun Chen, Yuxiang Zhang, and Clara Camarasa, who collectively examined the links between energy auditing, project implementation, financing mechanisms and Energy Service Company (ESCO) market development.

Opening the technical discussions, Zhuolun Chen provided a practical roadmap for conducting effective building energy audits in Mauritius. He stressed that energy audits sit at the intersection of engineering, finance and national resilience, reminding participants that “every kWh saved in a building reduces fuel imports, operation cost and emission pressure.” His presentation outlined the essential stages of the auditing process, including defining audit scope, developing calibrated energy baselines, measuring actual performance, prioritising energy conservation measures, linking recommendations to procurement and financing pathways, and establishing robust measurement and verification (M&V) frameworks. He emphasised that successful audits must ultimately lead to implementation rather than remaining standalone technical reports.

The webinar then welcomed guest speaker Yuxiang Zhang, representing one of China’s largest commercial real-estate management companies. Drawing on experience managing more than seven million square metres of commercial floor space, Zhang demonstrated how energy audits can become powerful management tools when integrated into broader business strategy. He described how detailed energy audits helped his organisation identify operational inefficiencies, establish a company-wide energy management platform, prioritise investment opportunities and support ambitious ESG and decarbonisation goals. Presenting a case study from the Guangzhou ICC development, he showed how data-driven optimisation of a central cooling system significantly reduced energy consumption without increasing capital costs. Reflecting on the company’s experience, Zhang emphasised that “collecting comprehensive and accurate data is the foundation of all related work,” underscoring the central role of energy audits in driving commercial value and sustainability performance.

The financial dimension of energy efficiency implementation was explored in depth by Clara Camarasa, who focused on the challenge of bridging the gap between audit recommendations and project financing. She presented a comprehensive overview of financing instruments available for building retrofits, including commercial loans, concessional finance, guarantees, insurance mechanisms, green bonds and blended finance structures. A major focus of her presentation was the role of ESCOs and Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) models in overcoming investment barriers. Clara argued that audit quality directly determines whether projects can attract financing, stating that “your baseline is their guarantee” and warning that “if your baseline is unreliable, the ESCO’s guarantee is unreliable and the project will not happen.”

A recurring theme throughout the session was the concept of the investment-grade audit (IGA). Clara explained that moving from a standard audit to an investment-grade audit requires greater rigour, including at least twelve months of metered data, transparent methodologies, robust savings calculations, clear risk assessments, and defined measurement and verification plans. She stressed that “ESCOs can only guarantee what they measure,” highlighting how stronger audits reduce transaction costs, improve lender confidence and enable the scaling of energy efficiency investments. Drawing on UNEP CCC’s work in Mauritius, she demonstrated how improved audit quality, ESCO development, risk-sharing instruments and commercial finance can form an integrated market ecosystem capable of delivering verified energy savings at scale.

The webinar concluded with a discussion on green finance, ESCO market development, carbon finance opportunities, and lessons from international experience in China and other markets. Speakers agreed that Mauritius already possesses many of the key foundations necessary for a successful energy efficiency market, including supportive regulations, institutional leadership and emerging EPC frameworks. The central message of the session was clear: effective energy audits must be rigorous, transparent and designed with implementation in mind. When connected to procurement mechanisms, ESCO business models and appropriate financing instruments, audits become much more than technical exercises—they become the starting point for scalable investment, measurable energy savings and long-term climate action.