Is the Construction Sector Sustainable and Energy-Efficient in Turkmenistan?

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Turkmenistan’s energy sector emitted 94.3 million tons of CO₂ in 2021, a significant increase from 54.3 million tons in 2010. Buildings account for 29% of these emissions, mainly due to inefficient heating and cooling systems. The National Strategy on Climate Change identifies the housing sector as a priority area for reducing emissions.

UNDP has launched a project in Turkmenistan to promote energy efficiency in buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to support the country’s climate mitigation efforts by transforming the construction sector towards more sustainable practices.

Barriers to Energy Efficiency

Structural barriers impede energy efficiency in Turkmenistan’s building sector per project information:

1. Low energy prices: Historically low utility costs have led to a lack of awareness about energy efficiency.
2. Outdated building codes: Current codes do not meet nearly-zero energy (NZE) requirements, and their implementation is uncertain.
3. Institutional capacity: Insufficient capacity to update, verify, and enforce energy-efficient building codes.
4. Lack of NZE technologies: No buildings in Turkmenistan currently meet nearly-zero energy standards.
5. Regulatory and investment barriers: Bureaucratic obstacles and restricted access to foreign exchange hinder private sector investment in sustainable energy.

The UNDP’s Solution

The goal of the UNDP project is to help Turkmenistan reduce its carbon footprint by making buildings more energy-efficient. Two buildings will be constructed in Arkadag and Ashgabat City to show how energy efficiency can be achieved and to update the current building standards.

New regulations will be proposed to encourage the use of energy-efficient building designs.

Government officials, architects, engineers, and students will receive training and information to help them understand the importance of energy-efficient buildings and how to design and build them.

Expected Results

Over 20 years, the project expects to achieve:

1. GHG emission reductions: 86.9 thousand tCO_2eq directly and 760.5 thousand tCO_2eq indirectly (less than 1% of the emissions from Turkmenistan’s energy sector in 2021).
2. Natural gas savings: Significant projected lifetime savings.
3. Paltry increase in solar PV capacity: 2.10 MW of installed capacity.
4. Direct beneficiaries: 8,440 people, including occupants of pilot and future buildings and participants in capacity-building activities in Ashgabat, Arkadag and other regional centres.

Risk Management

The project has identified potential risks, including social and environmental impacts during construction, putting workers’ health and safety at risk, and discriminating against certain groups, such as women and people with disabilities, detailed in Annex L starting on page 140. To address these risks, the project has put in place mitigation measures, such as environmental and social safeguards, a plan to promote gender equality, and a system for people to report any grievances or concerns. These measures will help minimize the project’s negative impacts and ensure that it benefits everyone involved.