Easing the burden: How Energy-Efficient Retrofits Bring Comfort to Residents of Dilijan

For the first time in decades, 70-year-old Anahit Barseghyan didn’t have to turn on her heater last winter. Thanks to the energy efficiency project, her once freezing home is now warm and comfortable—without additional heating costs.

In recent years, Dilijan has become a popular tourist hotspot in Armenia's Tavush region, renowned for its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. However, many, especially elderly residents of Soviet-era buildings face serious challenges. With ageing infrastructure and unpredictable weather, life can be tough for seniors like Anahit Barseghyan, who relies solely on her small state pension to cover living expenses.

“I have lived in this building since the 1980s, and this winter was the first time I did not need to turn on the heating at all because my apartment was so warm,” Anahit shares. “The improvements made to our building have truly transformed it, and I am so grateful for these changes.”

Anahit's building was one of eleven upgraded through a project supported by the UNDP, Green Climate Fund and the Armenian Government. This initiative collaborates with Armenia’s State Subvention Program to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings across Armenia. Launched in 2017, the project aims to reduce energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance the quality of life for residents, particularly in Armenia’s colder regions.

These energy-efficient upgrades include insulating external walls, roofs, as well as replacing outdated windows and doors with energy-efficient alternatives. Modern LED lighting systems were also installed to enhance safety and comfort in shared areas. As a result, apartments are now 4-5 degrees warmer on average in winter, reducing heating needs and significantly improving residents' quality of life. In total, 157 residential buildings underwent similar retrofits across the country.

For Anahit, the changes go beyond warmth—they bring peace of mind.

“Our family was one of the first to move into this building. When we moved everything was new and we had central heating,” Anahit recalls. “But our lives changed, and the hardships of the 1990s made it really tough for us to stay warm. Sometimes we couldn't heat our home at all because it was too expensive.”

Anahit highlights that the retrofits have also resolved rainwater issues that have plagued rainy Dilijan in recent years. “Water no longer seeps into the apartments from the windows or the roof,” she says. “Finally, I don’t have to worry when it rains.”

The retrofits of 11 residential buildings in Dilijan, costing a total of 670 million AMD, were funded through a collaborative effort between the UNDP, the Armenian government, and the local Dilijan community, with 75% covered by the State Subvention Program and 25% by the UNDP-GCF Project.

“Life has been quite a journey. I graduated as an engineer in the 1970s, but I had to juggle many jobs to make ends meet. I worked in a laundry, at the hospital - anywhere I could - just to provide for my children. As time passed, they got married and left Dilijan in search of better opportunities, and now I find myself alone with a modest pension and grappling with health issues. But thanks to this project, I feel safe and comfortable in my home. Projects like these are essential for people like me.”

For Anahit and over 1,100 residents of Dilijan, energy-efficient retrofits have brought more than just lower heating bills—they have brought comfort, security, and dignity.

These initiatives serve as a model for sustainable urban development across Armenia, showing how strategic investments in energy efficiency can transform lives and communities. By prioritizing such projects today, we are building a more resilient, cost-effective, and climate-friendly future for generations to come.

 Source: https://www.undp.org/