EU Sustainable Energy Week in Armenia – EIB and multi-donor fund E5P spearhead the rehabilitation of kindergartens in Yerevan

• A pioneer project in Armenia will make buildings more energy efficient and resilient to earthquakes
• Almost 150 kindergartens will benefit from the EUR 5m grant from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) to which the European Union is the largest contributor
• The project is jointly implemented by the EIB, the Municipality of Yerevan, the Green Climate Fund and UNDP
• The grant completes the EIB loan of EUR 7m signed in 2017

The European Investment Bank (EIB) signed today with the multi-donor fund E5P and the Municipality of Yerevan a pioneering grant agreement of EUR 5m to support an unprecedented upgrading of public buildings in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. The Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership, or E5P, is a EUR 200m fund supporting municipal investments in energy efficiency and environmental projects in the Eastern Partnership countries*.

The E5P grant represents support additional to the EUR 7m EIB loan signed in December 2017 to help the Municipality of Yerevan finance energy efficiency improvements in public buildings. The grant will finance projects that will increase the energy efficiency and the resilience to earthquakes of kindergartens: 29 kindergarteners will be fully renovated, while 118 will benefit from a lighter renovation, namely energy efficiency measures subject to satisfactory preliminary studiesThis will create a much safer and caring environment for approximately 34,500 people, including pupils, teachers and staff members. It will result in primary energy savings of 27,800 MWh a year, reduce CO₂ emissions by 5,502 tonnes a year and significantly decrease other greenhouse gas emissions. This will contribute to climate change mitigation and reduce Yerevan’s municipal budget expenditures for energy services by EUR 1.1m. In addition, it will generate local and regional economic activities, particularly in the construction industry, and therefore support the development of private sector businesses.

EIB Vice-President Vazil Hudák commented: “The EU bank, together with its partners, is making a real difference for the people of Armenia. We encourage projects like this one that help to improve the environment and therefore also the quality of life. The 147 Yerevan kindergartens will show the way on energy efficiency and savings because the cheapest energy is the one we avoid generating”.

Head of EU Delegation H.E. Piotr Antoni Switalski stated:  “Energy efficiency is the cheapest energy as it’s the one on which money is not spent! New technologies can generate cleaner energy and create jobs, while mobilising stakeholders from the government, international financial institutions, municipalities, civil society and citizens will be the key task for scaling up reforms and investments. The EU has been and will continue supporting energy efficiency measures in Armenia, including for the 21 signatory municipalities of the Covenant of Mayors and more than 6,000 households which have benefited from EU-funded projects. The proposed E5P grant of EUR 5m will thus make affordable the implementation of the refurbishments and renewable energy measures, support Armenia’s investment efforts in demand-side energy management, ensure strong economic impacts at the municipal budget level, and bring positive social and environmental benefits. The EU believes that with a successful large-scale pilot like the one proposed, other cities/actors will be willing to invest as well.”

Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan noted: “Yerevan Municipality highly appreciates the projects implemented with the financial assistance of the European Investment Bank and European Union. The cooperation in various spheres of the urban economy is important for the development of Yerevan’s infrastructure. Through the EIB loan public buildings will be renovated, and in the first stage we will refurbish the majority of the municipality’s kindergartens, which is very important for us as  children are our future. The project will be a pioneer in Armenia: as it contains  energy efficiency and seismic resilience component. Yerevan Municipality is highly committed to participating in the funding of the project along with the EIB, E5P and GCF, and with the signing of the E5P Grant Agreement the implementation of the project is entering into a realistic phase.  I would like to emphasis that all of the projects which are under way will have very positive impact and are aimed at improving the well-being of the residents of the capital and I hope that similar projects will be continous.”

The Grant Agreement signature took place today in 110 Kindergarten Yerevan. The children and teachers of the kindergarten attended the ceremony, together with the representatives of the diplomatic representations of the EU in Armenia and the EU Member States, and Yerevan Municipality and RA Government. The event was organised under the EU4Energy Initiative and in the context of the EU Sustainable Energy Week, which is the biggest energy efficiency event in Europe, aimed at encouraging citizens and stakeholders to discover and debate the major issues driving the transition to sustainable energy.

The project was developed thanks to the results of a study on energy efficiency and renewables financed by the technical assistance grant support from the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF).