“Energy Efficiency in Green Recovery: Best Practices and Opportunities for Ukraine”Analytical report
Energy efficiency is becoming an extremely relevant topic for Ukraine as the main road to post-war recovery and strengthening of the national economy. The introduction of the latest technologies through the reconstruction will not only reduce the energy bills, but will also contribute to saving of expensive energy resources and reduce emissions.
In addition, Ukraine aims accelerated accession to the EU, and therefore the post-war reconstruction should be carried out according to European standards, the economy radically rebuilt, its energy intensity reduced and the level of energy efficiency in all sectors increased. In order to improve and modernize the Ukrainian building stock, many current and future challenges should be acknowledged.
They include:
- ensuring green reconstruction while securing fast provision of affordable housing for people in need,
- improving the legal framework for renovation,
- targeting worst-performing buildings and energy poverty,
- and a resilient energy system through both sustainable supply and demand solutions.
To overcome these challenges Ukraine should seek different solutions and opportunities. The energy performance of buildings’ framework in Ukraine can be improved and expanded through national plans, the energy efficiency first principle, and the correct implementation of other EU policy instruments. Many reliable practices and case studies of European countries may be used to support this work.
Besides, funding opportunities and technical assistance are becoming increasingly available through multilateral funders with reconstruction and preaccession assistance programmes. Securing the inclusion of energy efficiency and energy performance requirements among eligibility criteria to access these funds should be a priority for all parties involved. The proper utilization of mentioned instruments can provide valuable support for progress in achieving lasting results. Capacity building for construction professionals have to be embedded as well into reconstruction programs and funding initiatives.
Emphasizing the enhancement and fortification of the energy performance certificates system, which serves as the foundation for adopting and implementing acquis communautaire, is preferable over investing in international voluntary certifications. This approach allows for the identification of highly performing buildings while encompassing sustainability aspects that go beyond just energy considerations.
Звіт презентує ключові рекомендації з енергоефективності у “зеленому” відновленні:
- Focus on international experience and EU cases in designing support schemes and attracting financing for energy-efficient projects;
- Set the energy efficiency eligibility criteria for funding streams and other reconstruction initiatives by stakeholders;
- Developing national programs for upskilling building sector professionals should be a mandatory element of support programs and a prerequisite for projects start-up.
- Given the increased European ambition on energy and climate and considerable damage to Ukrainian building stock, respective plans could be revised and amended with more precision and higher ambitions and merged into a single reliable renovation strategy/plan;
- Developing the NECP and Long-Term Renovation Strategy as guiding policy documents, ensuring the energy efficiency first principle to drive incentives toward renovation solutions, and learning to replicate proven best practices at regional and local levels – are parallel priority solutions, which have the potential to bring substantial progress toward thermal modernization of the Ukrainian building stock.
- The energy efficiency first (EE1st) principle should be legally defined in Ukraine’s legislation, based on the EU experience;
- Take into consideration the best practices of EU member states (e.g. KfW Energy Efficient Construction and Renovation, RenoWatt, EOL project) to improve the Energy Efficiency Fund of Ukraine performance and expand energy efficiency programs at national, regional and local levels;
- Acknowledge the importance of better penetration and exposure of buildings certification, as well as international voluntary certification systems, used to identify buildings with high levels of performance (e.g., LEED, BREEAM, DGNB, EDGE etc.).
