Minister of TAI and UNDP Resident representative visited Lori

Gnel Sanosyan, RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, together with Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, participated in the openings of the energy efficient retrofitted multi-apartment buildings (MABs) with the support of the project funded by the Green Climate Fund in the framework of the State Subvention Program aimed at development of community infrastructures.

Taking into account the significance of energy efficiency improvement and maintenance of the housing stock of Armenia, and its contribution to the increase of the operational period of MABs, in 2020 energy efficiency retrofits of MABs became eligible as an exception under the State Subvention Program and implemented in the framework of trilateral cooperation between the Government-community-UNDP, under the coordination of the RA Ministry of Environment.

The Minister praised the UNDP support aimed at increasing energy efficiency of both public buildings, such as kindergartens and schools, and MABs.

The Minister expressed hope that this year the program will be actively continued, considering that the communities and the residents of non-energy efficient MABs will also express a desire to participate in the 2022 Subvention Program, seeing the results of the work done.

Natia Natsvlishvili also welcomed the effective cooperation with the Government of Armenia and communities in increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and assured that UNDP, as a development agency, will continue its active work aimed at expanding programs in the field, taking into account environmental and social components.

In 2020, 55 MABs energy efficient retrofits works in 8 communities were implemented in the framework of the Subvention Program, 38 of which were fully retrofitted and 17 partially. The total cost was about 2.4 billion drams, of which the co-financing of the RA state budget was 1.61 billion drams. The energy efficient retrofit works of 28 buildings in Spitak, Akhtala, Stepanavan and Tashir communities of Lori region, Ijevan community of Tavush region, Vedi community of Ararat region have already been completed. The energy efficiency retrofit works in Kajaran community of Syunik region, Ashtarak community of Aragatsotn region are in progress.

Among the projects approved in 2021, programs for increasing the energy efficiency of 30 MABs are being implemented at a total cost of 987.14 million drams in Akhtala community of Lori region, Sisian and Kajaran communities of Syunik region, Dilijan and Berd communities of Tavush region. Energy efficiency retrofit works of 16 buildings approved in 2021 will be carried out in 2022 in Vanadzor and Tashir communities of Lori region.

Under this program, greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced in energy efficient retrofitted buildings, contributing to the preservation of the environment, as well as the apartment owners save about 50 percent of heating and cooling utility costs. An additional benefit is the 10-15 percent increase in the market value of apartments in these buildings.