From Individual Housing Challenges to Common Solutions

First Round Table of the civil society coalition “Government and Citizens – Together for Energy-Efficient Housing”

The first thematic roundtable of the civil society Coalition “Government and Citizens – Together for Energy-Efficient Housing” was held in Astana. The event was organised by the Public Foundation “Foundation for the Development of Parliamentarism in Kazakhstan” (FRPK) with the partners of the ENABLE project, implemented with the financial support of the European Union.

The roundtable marked the completion of the first phase in establishing the Coalition, which now brings together 54 civil society organisations from Astana, Almaty, Petropavlovsk and other cities across Kazakhstan. The event brought together Coalition members, other civil society organisations that have not yet joined the Coalition, representatives of homeowners’ associations (Kazakh: OSI), as well as national and international experts. Representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Akimat and Maslikhat of Astana, and the National Centre for Energy Saving also participated.

The discussions focused on three key areas:

• improving the energy efficiency of the existing residential building stock;
• promoting energy-efficient building modernisation;
• developing a shared understanding and identifying concrete next steps for the large-scale modernisation of multi-apartment buildings.

The objective of the roundtable was to foster a common understanding of energy-efficient modernisation of multi-apartment buildings among participants and to explore the links between energy efficiency, housing policy, homeowners’ interests and the practical role of civil society organisations in this process. The event also provided an opportunity to identify practical challenges and outstanding needs, while laying the foundations for continued technical and expert cooperation within the Coalition.

Outcomes and next steps – As a follow-up to the roundtable, recommendations will be developed and three to five priority areas will be identified for further work by the Coalition’s thematic and technical working groups.

Voices from the roundtable – The contributions of participants highlighted the key priorities and perspectives discussed during the event.

Juana Mera Cabello, Deputy Head of the Partnerships Section at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasised in her opening remarks: “Building renovation is not only a technical or environmental challenge; it is also a socio-economic one. Greater energy efficiency means lower energy costs, improved living conditions and greater energy security. This is why building renovation is a key component of the EU’s climate policy. Through the European Green Deal and the relevant EU legislation, the EU aims to accelerate building renovation, particularly for the least energy-efficient buildings. At the same time, the EU promotes the deployment of renewable energy, modern heating systems, and access to financing and technical assistance.”

Zauresh Battalova, President of the Public Foundation “Foundation for the Development of Parliamentarism in Kazakhstan”, Astana, highlighted: “The success of energy-efficient modernisation should not be measured solely by the number of buildings renovated or the amount of energy saved. It is equally important that citizens trust and understand these solutions and have meaningful opportunities to participate in the decisions that affect them.”

Talgat Sabyrgaliyev, representative of the Akimat of Astana, stated: “Sustainable solutions in the housing sector should be developed on the basis of the practical experience of residents and homeowners, professional expertise, the capacities of public institutions, and proven international approaches.”

Marat Kalmenov, National Centre for Energy Saving, Astana, stressed: “For the existing building stock, technical solutions, a financing model, the commitments of the parties involved and verification of results need to be brought together.”

Working together for energy-efficient and sustainable housing: the roundtable demonstrated that improving the energy efficiency of the residential building stock requires cross-sectoral cooperation. Public institutions, local authorities, homeowners, civil society organisations, experts and other stakeholders need to work together to develop solutions that are practical, transparent and sustainable.

The Coalition will continue this dialogue through its thematic and technical work, contributing to the development of joint, evidence-based and practice-oriented approaches to the energy-efficient modernisation of Kazakhstan’s residential building stock.