Up-scaling energy efficiency in residential & services sectors

Demand for energy is rapidly rising in the Arab region, but limited efforts are being deployed to improve energy efficiency. Furthermore, all forecasts indicate that electricity demand is set to rise drastically in the near future. In the absence of serious corrective measures, this will lead to revenue loss, slower development efforts, increasing vulnerability to international energy price fluctuations, and a weakened energy situation across the region. Consequently, the region is in urgent need of energy efficiency programmes and projects in the residential and services sectors at a pace that can match the growth rates recorded in their energy services demand.

Up-scaling energy-efficiency programmes and projects in the residential and services sectors will contribute to establishing sustainable energy systems in the region, create numerous job opportunities and significantly reduce end users and State energy bills. Moreover, it will considerably contribute to countries’ efforts to meet target 7.3 of SDG 7 and other energy related Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Paris Agreement.

Our approach

ESCWA seeks to substantially enhance the capacity of its member States in improving and optimizing energy efficiency in the building sector, and up scaling energy efficiency programmes in the existing residential and non-residential building stock. The proposed project is intended to pave the way for a regional initiative aimed at up scaling energy efficiency programmes and measures targeting the existing building stock in the region.

Our partners

Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR); Jordan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF); Tunisian National Energy Conservation Agency (ANME); Tunisian National Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG); United Nations Environment Programme (Energy and Climate Branch); GIZ Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB-GIZ); European Union Technical Assistance to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program in Jordan (EU REEE II-TA).

Our activities

The project is expected to contribute to the following:

• Building the capacity of government and national institutions of participating ESCWA member States to optimize energy consumption patterns in the existing residential and services sectors’ building stocks
• Creating new opportunities for building stock owners and end users in participating ESCWA member States to access large-scale dissemination schemes for improving the thermal quality of their buildings and for using more energy efficient equipment and appliances

The following are the project’s main activities:

• Developing a comprehensive baseline mapping study for participating countries to provide a reference situation and baseline parameters for the remaining Development Account activities
• Developing, short, medium and long-term strategies and appropriate energy efficiency policies for the residential and services sectors, to be used as frameworks for the implementation of large-scale energy-efficiency programmes
• Initiating or reinforcing existing household and other equipment energy labelling systems and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) to provide a basis for moving the market towards more energy efficient products
• Setting up specialized task forces at national levels to provide a solid support, and a multi-stakeholder driving force, for setting up the national agenda for the implementation of the project
• Producing guidelines and trainings material in support of improving energy performance in the building sector
• Setting up effective large-scale implementation schemes for dissemination of higher energy efficiency equipment and appliances, and improving the thermal performance of existing buildings, involving private and public resources, to provide targeted end users with easy access to the associated investment requirements
• Organizing an end-of-project workshop to bring together officials from the region and major domestic and foreign financial institutions.