Systematic Review of Risks in Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) Projects

Abstract

In recent years, the market trends and acceptance of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) have caught the attention of international specialists, especially in energy management fields. EPC projects are widely acknowledged as among the most efficient global strategies for improving Energy Efficiency (EE). However, EPC projects are plagued by numerous uncertainties, which increase project risk. The impact of risk factors and categories on EPC projects can influence the effectiveness and success of implementation in EPC projects. This paper applied the pre-recording systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) approach to determine the primary data based on a few keywords, such as “risk or uncertainty and Energy Performance Contracting or Energy Performance Contracting project”. Based on advanced searching on SCOPUS and Web of Science (WOS), we found 32 selected articles (n=32). Expert scholars decided to develop three themes, which are (1) risk categories in EPC projects, (2) risk factors and categories in EPC projects, as well as (3) risk assessment methods in EPC projects. Here, the results summarise that the 19 risk factors were obtained and classified into six categories. In addition, risk assessment methods in EPC projects have been summarised. Consequently, the research findings can benefit academics and industrial practitioners in EPC projects.