Since the establishment of center, it initiates its activities by developing national program to rationalize and increase the efficiency of energy consumption called "Saudi Energy Efficiency Program", and required plans, to improve and raise the efficiency of energy consumption in three key sectors, occupying over 90% from the domestic energy consumption which is construction, industry and land transport. This program is considered an integrated work based on unanimity and consensus between relevant stakeholders in general and private sectors as per the mechanism of action based on full cooperation and coordination between these entities. Taking into account and respecting the specificities of each entity, resolving challenges face it to accelerate and develop the implementation of energy efficiency programs by providing the possibilities and raise the efficiency of its performance, as well as benefit from international expertise and experiences in discussing outcomes of global applied energy efficiency programs.

Program's Initiatives

Over 35 initiatives have been implemented to improve and raise the efficiency of energy consumption in the targeted sectors as follows:

Construction Sector: develop and update the specifications and standards of energy efficiency of the air conditioning with small capacity, refrigerators and washing machines, prepare standard for increasing energy efficiency for lighting, electric heaters, dryers, large-capacity air conditioners, electric motors and the development and adoption of regulation of thermal insulation.

Transport Sector: Apply the fuel economy card on light vehicles and adopt fuel economy standard on light vehicles (Saudi CAFÉ), also establish a standard for tire energy efficiency.

Industry Sector: Setting out objectives of energy density levels on the existing iron, cement and petrochemicals factories and helping it to achieve its objectives by 2019. In addition to determine levels of energy efficiency for the first quarter average according to the world design standard as a target for new factories in targeted sectors, as well as establishing a tight mechanism to monitor and follow up the application of specifications and standards on locally manufactured and imported equipment and devices to ensure its conformity with the requirements of energy efficiency.

Particular emphasis was placed on developing human resources in the field of energy efficiency through implementation of training programs that give accredited certificates with Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), include curriculums about energy efficiency in the technological colleges and universities, establish Center of Excellence in Energy efficiency at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, as well as spread awareness among groups of society on the importance of rationalization and raise of efficiency of energy consumption by implementing awareness campaigns focused on the ways of rationalization in using appliances and vehicles and better use of it.   

The program's efforts have also contributed to enforcing the use of District Cooling in all new government projects when the set criteria are met.

Establishing The National Energy Services Company (Tarshid) which will work to requalify the government buildings and incentives the private sector on investment in the energy efficiency services sectors.

It is hoped that by 2030, energy efficiency levels in the construction, industry and land transport sectors will increase –God willing - to reduce the consumption of these sectors by 20%, i.e. saving about 1 million barrels of oil per day from the expected consumption of energy in 2030.

Program Organizational Structure:

The program includes more than 150 specialists from government agencies and state-owned companies where ten technical and support teams lead daily activities of the program, depending on sectors and possibilities, while the review and coordination team reviews their work and coordinate between the different teams programs to ensure its complementarity before discussing it with the executive committee that is responsible for direct supervision on the program, provide advice and support to technical teams and overcome obstacles faced it and final approval on the teams recommendations

Program System:

Saudi Energy Efficiency Program based on integrated system based on three bases:
• Principles: include program's management mechanism, methodology of work followed, and how to involve all relevant stakeholders in the development and implementation of activities with the governance of their roles.
• Development and Implementation: includes mechanisms of developing specifications and standards, required possibilities to activate the program's different activities that will contribute to enhance the energy efficiency market by creating investment opportunities promote competing for quality.
• Human Development: includes awareness activities of various activities of the program in addition to qualifying the human resources to the energy efficiency market.