The IZT evaluated selected research funding projects from the German government's 5th Energy Research Programme in the "Energy efficiency in buildings and cities, CHP, thermal storage" department at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The study portfolio included almost 150 projects with a total cost of almost 180 million euros. The evaluation was carried out using a mix of methods, including on-site interviews with project managers and an online survey. The key questions were: Did the subsidised projects achieve their objectives? What innovations and energy-saving effects did they trigger?