Green renovation: 12 residential buildings upgraded for energy efficiency

Bishkek hosts review of the two-year project "Engaging internal migrants in green renovation in Kyrgyzstan". The project covered Bishkek, Osh, and seven provinces of the country. Experts presented the studies conducted and outlined proposed solutions to improve air quality in major cities and the overall environmental situation in the country.

It is no secret that migration can affect air quality in large cities, although this impact is not always direct and may be linked to indirect factors. However, population growth as a result of migration can lead to increased air pollution due to higher energy consumption, transportation, and heating needs.

Every year, internal migration continues to grow, with tens of thousands of families moving to major cities in search of a better life. This creates an enormous burden on infrastructure, the environment, and overall quality of life. Bishkek feels these challenges particularly acutely, with air pollution — especially during the winter months — emerging as one of the most alarming issues in recent years. The project has supported the integration of internal migrants into state energy efficiency programs. Special attention was given to supporting women and introducing architectural solutions adapted to current climatic conditions.

The program coordinator of the International Organization for Migration, Taalaybek Talantbek uulu, is confident that Kyrgyzstan is currently facing challenges due to the growth of internal migration, particularly in major cities such as Osh and Bishkek. According to observations of migration flows, dozens of citizens move from the regions to large cities for work, study, and permanent residence. The majority of migrants settle in the new residential districts of the capital.

“In 2021, we conducted the first assessment of factors affecting air quality. We worked in residential districts around Bishkek, at that time there were 47 such districts. Our primary goal was to inform residents about the factors impacting air quality and the associated health risks. We found that most residents were not connected to central heating or gas supply, which led to the active use of coal and firewood, and sometimes even garbage, for heating. However, it is worth noting that in recent years the city administration has been actively gasifying residential districts, and considerable progress has already been achieved,” — he said.

However, the most vulnerable groups of the population, unfortunately, do not have sufficient financial means to pay for gas connections, and in this case, they are somewhat caught in a bind: they cannot connect to gas, yet at the same time cannot avoid using large amounts of coal.

“Considering the fact that the population is growing in Osh and Bishkek, we thought that promoting energy efficiency would be one of the key solutions to combat air pollution. We began implementing the energy efficiency project in 2023. First of all, we decided to develop standardized house designs. While working in residential neighborhoods, we noticed that many houses were built without any approved project or plan sanctioned by the State Architecture or Construction authorities. Therefore, we aimed to create designs that would be approved by the Ministry of Construction, allowing residents to access these plans and build accordingly. These designs were considered highly energy-efficient, and they have already been developed and are now available,” — he says.

As part of the project, a national competition for energy-efficient housing designs was held, with the winners presenting modern and sustainable solutions for low-rise residential construction.

A comprehensive "green" renovation was carried out in 12 houses in Bishkek and Osh. The renovation included replacement of windows and doors, insulation of facades, and improvements to ventilation and electrical systems. Private construction companies contributed to the repairs using their own funds.

In addition, 45 female activists and 140 representatives of local self-government bodies completed training courses on managing energy-efficient housing.
The project also promoted the development of public-private partnerships. Training sessions on practical implementation of green standards were organized for business representatives, relevant ministries, and associations.

Nurzat Abdrasulova, President of Unison Group, noted that we usually start thinking about smog only as winter approaches and when we consider heating. In contrast, insulating homes should be done in the summer to reduce heating needs during the winter months.

“Many studies have shown that one of the causes of smog in Kyrgyzstan is coal heating. At the same time, the population of the capital is growing, and migration continues. According to various estimates, about 1.3 million people live in Bishkek — not only officially registered residents, but also those who come to the city for work. More than 200,000 people live in urban residential neighborhoods. Bishkek includes 57 such neighborhoods, which occupy 30% of the city’s area,” — she said.

She proposed establishing a National Green Fund in the country, with a total project portfolio of around 50 billion KGS.

"The main goal is to create a national resource that will enable more active engagement in green renovation and the promotion of green technologies. We cannot constantly rely on external donors; we need to ensure that the population has access to financing for the green transition," — she said.