The city of Cascais helps its residents (205,117) to improve their private energy efficiency and save costs. Technical reports help Cascais citizens identify how and where to save energy. "Caça Watts" (‘Watt Hunting’) is a public initiative allowing the citizens of Cascais to get an energy audit worth up to 350€, a lower price starts from 25€, with further discounts depending on personal income. Such an audit reveals home energy usage patterns and points of excessive energy consumption. It compares the energy efficiency of home appliances and electrical equipment and provides recommendations on how and where to save energy. Cascais municipal technicians are equipped with high-end software which permits, along with consumers' energy bills,  an exact technical analysis as well as specific recommendations. They even run a solar panel simulation as to the effects on energy savings and financial benefits if  photovoltaic panels were installed at home. Each year, the Cascais Energy Agency carries out approximately 100 energy audits.

This project had an investment of 55,000 € and has been delivering great benefits in terms of climate protection and quality of life. Energy consumption has been reduced by 75 MWh/year and CO2 emissions by 28 tons CO2 eq./year. Households participating in this initiative have reduced their energy bills by about 100€ per year and household.

Further information: http://www.klimabuendnis.org/cascais.html