Opening of the exhibition "Prospects of large residential areas – Experiences from Germany"

On the 11th of April 2024, the exhibition “Prospects of large residential areas – Experiences from Germany” was opened in the framework of the project at the L. N. Gumilev Eurasian National University (ENU).

German practice in the field of residential building’s modernisation is a valuable source of knowledge and advanced technologies that can be applied in the context of the Kazakh reality. The transfer of knowledge from international experts from the Competence Centre for Large Housing Estates in Berlin has a significant impact on the improvement of the housing sector in Kazakhstan and the creation of long-term housing modernisation plans. which will affect many citizens and improve the quality of life in residential areas.

Larissa Schreckenbach, Project Director, Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO), Berlin, Germany: “Kazakhstan needs a targeted policy on energy saving in buildings, which includes the development of legislation in this area, the development of state financial programmes to support homeowners, public awareness and professional development of specialists involved in modernisation of buildings, especially residential buildings”.

Mazhilis deputy Zhuldyz Suleimenova in her speech thanked the organisers for holding the exhibition on sustainable and energy efficient city: “The bill of amendments and additions to some legislative acts on housing legislation passed the first reading. Those issues, which are not covered, and which were addressed in the framework of the measure on modernisation of the housing stock, will be taken into account when drafting the Housing Code. Deputies of the VIII Convocation, members of the Committee on Socio-Cultural Development together with the Fund for the Development of Parliamentarism in Kazakhstan and the Institute of Parliamentarism are actively working in this direction.”

Nurbek Serikov, Deputy Chairman of the JSC “Kazakhstan Centre for Modernisation and Development of Housing and Communal Services”: “The event is very important, necessary and on point. In the prism of energy resources deficit, the issues raised in the framework of the project are extremely relevant. Since the foundation of our centre, we have been working on repair and modernisation of the housing stock.  The active participation of civil society is necessary in this field, so the ENABLE project is very relevant”.

It should be noted that the Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Green Building Council (KazGBC), Alexander Bely, was also one of the speakers, presenting a report on ‘Thermal Modernisation of Housing: Experience in Kazakhstan’. His presentation revealed the issues of housing stock problems in the field of energy efficiency. Alexander Bely also talked about the modernisation of a residential block in Astana, which resulted in savings of heat and electricity and consequently reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The exhibition was visited by at least 75 stakeholders, including amongst others employees of project and international organisations, representatives of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan andstate and local government officials.

Projects based on the partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU promote innovation in energy efficient modernisation of apartment buildings. This is necessary for the citizens of the country to live in modern, comfortable, low-energy houses, which in turn will reduce the energy costs and negative impact on the environment.