A moderator understands and optimizes group dynamics, especially when interests in participation and mutual confidence are not necessarily common and natural at the start of the co-operation. Such dynamics might obviously be expected when industrial SME associations and authorities are sitting together to discuss targets and actions on energy efficiency improvement.

Therefore it is expected to be of great value when expertise on moderation techniques, methods and competences will be learnt and used in the EU-LTA Uptake project.

Moderation methods in a group of LTA parties will focus on the way how to identify obstacles and challenges, how to analyse bottlenecks and how to formulate solutions and actions. There are also moderation methods to enforce plans by performing risk analysis (‘shooting exercise’). So the focus is not to identify solely possible solutions but much more on the process to achieve common sense about them.

Trainees were invited from 12 different European countries (1 person per country) and were selected from governmental or local authority organisations, agencies or industrial associations.

This training followed a simulation of the reality of the current situation, by describing a desired commonly agreed situation and analyzing obstacles on how to reach there. Learning how to facilitate this process was the key of this training.

Finally, it is our experience that real changes in the way projects are being planned can only be realised if the officers concerned have taken a conscious decision to effectively review these processes. Just showing how it should be done is not sufficient. Therefore, the approach of the workshop was focussed on creating a learning experience for the participants, which allowed them to draw their own conclusions, and translate these into concrete actions for improvements.

Within the Dutch LTA approach on energy efficiency improvement some moderators were trained. A freshly trained moderator reacts: “Different involved LTA parties face bottlenecks which might be solved with a strategy workshop (one of the tools learnt). Trainers were experienced, provide useful tips, were sometimes critical and challenged our awareness to forward our best competences.
The added value of the training exceeded any expectation”