News & Events

Stakeholder Dialogue: Information Event on Energy-efficient Modernisation of Residential Buildings in Nukus, Uzbekistan

Nukus - 21 February 2025. On 21 February 2025, the first information meeting for the residents of the pilot building on 10 P. Seitova Street in Nukus, Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, was held. The event was organized as part of the FELICITY II project implemented jointly by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). IWO organised this stakeholder dialogue for the pilot project.

The project aims at improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings and involving homeowners in modernisation processes. The key objective of the action is to develop sustainable strategies to foster interaction between residents, city authorities and potential investors. Special attention is paid to raising awareness of the pilot building’s homeowners about the benefits of energy-efficient modernisation, legal aspects and different technical solutions.

The meeting was held at the Nukus State Pedagogical Institute named after Azhiniyaz. The management provided the premises for the event on energy saving and energy efficiency in buildings. Beside the homeowners of the pilot building, representatives of local authorities and associations of housing management companies in the city took part.

The event was opened by Azamat Niyettulayev, Deputy Mayor of Nukus city, who emphazised the importance energy-efficient solutions for a sustainable development of the city. In his welcoming speech, Kabylbek Aitbayev, Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, stressed the relevance for active involvement of homeowners in modernisation processes.

Zafar Zokirov, GIZ representative in Tashkent, provided an overview of the current stage of the project and the challenges encountered with regard to the pilot building. "Our goal is to help cities develop sustainably by reducing carbon emissions and improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock. The project in Nukus is an important step to get there," said Mr Zokirov.

During her online presentation, Larissa Schreckenbach, project director at IWO, highlighted international experience in energy efficiency and the role of stakeholder dialogues. She emphasised that energy-efficient modernisation is not only about saving resources, but also about improving the quality of life of the residents.

"It is important that homeowners become aware not only about the short-term benefits of energy-efficient modernisation, such as reduced utility costs, but also the long-term benefits - improved quality of life, increased market value of their dwelling and contributing to the sustainable development of the city. Active participation of residents in this process is key to taking informed decisions and implementing projects successfully," Ms Schreckenbach summarised.

Rakhima Ortikova, Executive Director of the Association of Professional Housing Management and Maintenance Organisations (UYUSHMA) moderated the meeting and detailed the rights and obligations of homeowners in the context of energy efficiency during her presentation. "Responsible management of common property is key to successful modernisation projects. The more residents know about their rights and obligations, the easier it is to establish effective cooperation and implementation," Ms Ortikova emphasised.

At the end of the event, an extract from the documentary film "House" was shown, demonstrating good-practice examples of modernising residential buildings in Latvia. The film was a good opportunity to discuss existing strategies and motivate homeowners to participate actively in modernisation processes like has already been tested in the Baltic countries with comparable housing stocks and sectors.

The event was a first step towards creating a sustainable model for interaction between tenants, authorities and investors for successfully implementing energy efficiency projects. The experiences presented at the meeting and the questions raised by the audience showed that only with the active participation of residents and the support of local authorities, sustainably improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings can be achieved.

Participatory stakeholder events like this one will continue to integrate exchange on legal aspects, financial instruments and international good practices that are suitable for adaptation to the needs of Nukus and other cities in Uzbekistan.