The European Resource Efficiency Knowledge Centre (EREK for short) is here to help European companies, especially SMEs, save energy, material and water costs. We provide tools, information and business opportunities that show you new and better ways to be resource efficient and benefit from circular economy business models which turn waste into an asset. EREK also supports national, regional and local organisations across Europe that work with SMEs to improve their environmental performance, helping them to become more resource efficient.

SMEs can get the following benefits thanks to EREK’s tools and services:

• Access to knowledge on best available technologies and business models
• Better control of energy, water and material costs
• Compliance checks for upcoming regulations
• Become less dependent on suppliers
• Demonstrate return on investment when adopting resource efficient measures Information on funding sources and technology providers
• Help building a green image which enables the targeting of new customer segments

EREK offers the following to SME intermediaries:

• Tools and instruments for businesses to assess their saving potentials
• Access to top international knowledge, technical expertise and practices on resource efficiency
• Capacity-building workshops and networking events Online training opportunities to learn from resource efficiency experts
• Overview of relevant support programmes available on European, national and regional levels
• Updates on professional events within the community

Concrete activities include:

• European Resource Efficiency Self-Assessment Tool for SMEs
• Catalogue of Resource Efficiency Improvement Measures
• European Resource Efficiency Information Database
• Online EREK platform
• Structured knowledge on resource efficiency best practices
• News, trends, and information on support programmes
• Database and managed European network of the national and regional organisation providing support to SMEs in resource efficiency measures
• Capacity-building and training workshops
• Knowledge resources, expertise and sharing

EREK is an initiative of the European Commission and is implemented by a consortium of organisations including Technopolis Group, VDI Zentrum Ressourceneffizienz (DE), WRAP (UK), Motiva (FI), Enviros (CZ), WAAT and Arctik (BE).