Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today, the main priority of the government of Uzbekistan is the widespread introduction of energy-saving technologies and the use of alternative energy sources in the economy, social sphere and construction industry. 

To speed up the process, since 2017, a joint six-year project of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is being implemented in Uzbekistan jointly with the Ministry of Construction of the Republic of Uzbekistan with grant support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) "Assistance in the development of construction of energy-efficient rural housing in Uzbekistan."

As part of the second component of the project, today on 9 December 2021 Tashkent is hosting a business forum "Energy-efficient materials and technologies in Uzbekistan: the state of the market and its development prospects for promoting green construction in the country." 

The main national partner organizations took part in the event - the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Center for Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Emergency Situations (Uzhydromet), the State Committee for Land Resources, Geodesy, Cartography and State Cadastre, the State Committee for Ecology and environmental protection, Qishloq Qurilish Invest LLC, Qishloqqurilishloyiha LLC, Qishloq Qurilish Bank JSCB, regional and district authorities, representatives of design engineering companies, institutes and educational institutions, international organizations, domestic manufacturers and others. 

The event was also attended by representatives of international financial institutions - Asian Development Bank (ADB), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and KfW.

The main goal of the project is to provide the rural population of Uzbekistan with improved and affordable living conditions that do not harm the environment. For these purposes, about US$136.6 million has been allocated.

A lot of work has been done since the start of the project. Based on the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan PP-4028 from 24 November 2018, a subsidized green mortgage lending scheme was developed to increase demand for energy efficient (EE) and low-carbon (LC) rural housing. One-story and multi-story EE and LC affordable rural houses have been built in five regions of Uzbekistan. And also the construction of a demonstration pilot house with practically zero energy consumption was launched in the Yoshlik mahalla in the city of Nurafshan in the Tashkent region. In November 2019, a business forum was held in Tashkent on the topic: "Energy efficient solutions in Uzbekistan: current state and development prospects." The event made it possible to demonstrate the available financial mechanisms of a market economy, exchange views and experiences, and discuss the prospects for "green construction" and "green economy".

In addition to presenting the achieved results of the Project’s work and its future plans, the business forum allowed evaluating new approaches and solutions, updating the base of energy-efficient materials and technologies, getting acquainted with innovations in the field of building materials, exchanging knowledge and experience with representatives of various manufacturing companies and suppliers of energy-efficient materials and technologies.

“The natural energy resources used by humanity are gradually drying up, while the cost of extracting and processing primary fuel and energy resources is increasing, and their irrational use negatively affects the environment. Efficient use of resources through the use of innovative approaches in construction, as a solution to this problem, is currently one of the priority areas in Uzbekistan.

This project aims to reduce energy consumption in the residential sector by improving the thermal performance of the structures themselves, as well as introducing energy efficient and low carbon technical solutions. Such measures ensure the saving of natural and financial resources, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

We hope that this forum will help to develop the necessary recommendations for further actions in order to strengthen cooperation with stakeholders in promoting EE and LC solutions in the housing sector of Uzbekistan, said the project manager, Timur Ibragimov.

During the presentations and roundtable discussions, issues were raised such as market development and improvement of the supply chain for EE and LC technologies and materials, energy efficient design solutions, strengthening the regulatory framework for the implementation of energy efficient and low-carbon technologies and materials in housing construction in Uzbekistan.

Also, within the framework of the business forum, a specialized exhibition of energy efficient materials and technologies from local and foreign manufacturers was organized. The Forum has become a platform for domestic manufacturers, suppliers, construction companies and design organizations to discuss the necessary measures to expand available market solutions, accelerate the introduction of new EE and LC technologies, exchange ideas and strengthen cooperation.