Workshop on facilitating risk prevention for energy efficiency investments in buildings

UNDP in Armenia convened national and international partners for a technical consultation on the key risks affecting energy efficiency (EE) investments in Armenia’s building sector and the policy actions needed to address them.

The discussion marked an important step toward advancing a stronger, more secure enabling environment for long-term EE investments - critical for reducing energy poverty, improving living conditions and contributing to commitments of Armenia for just transition under the climate change agenda.

For almost 2 decades, UNDP has been supporting the Government of Armenia to advance energy efficiency in buildings through policy, financial, and technical capacity-building measures. This work has contributed to significant improvements in the national framework for building EE investments. Yet, as Armenia continues to expand retrofit programmes, further efforts are needed to prevent and mitigate risks that may hinder investment, particularly in multi-apartment buildings.

To contribute to this process, UNDP initiated a comprehensive assessment of risks associated with building EE investments and developed actionable policy recommendations for the Government of Armenia, international organizations, and financial institutions. The assessment was conducted by international and national experts from Berlin Economics and Modex, examining legal, institutional, financial, technical, social and cross-cutting barriers.

During the workshop, UNDP and its expert team presented the analytical findings and draft recommendations, followed by an interactive discussion with representatives from government agencies, international development partners, financial institutions and other stakeholders. Participants provided valuable feedback to refine the policy proposals, which aim to strengthen the enabling environment for EE investments and support the scaling-up of building retrofits across Armenia.

The recommendations will be finalized based on stakeholder consultation and presented to national partners in early 2026. They are expected to inform ongoing policy reforms, ranging from building codes, EE standards and financial de-risking instruments to multi-apartment building management, energy auditing and improved decision-making mechanisms for homeowners.

The ultimate goal remains clear: to ensure affordable access to EE retrofits for all, especially women and vulnerable population.

The initiative is implemented under the UNDP–GCF “De-risking and Scaling-up Investment in Energy Efficient Building Retrofits” project.