Family housewarming in Kyrgyz village Tash-Dobo

Homeowners in the regions of Kyrgyzstan are beginning to transform their homes: as they expand their dwellings, they also make them more energy efficient.

Zamirbek Jakypov had rented an apartment for many years. His wish was to get his own spacious house for his family of six. In 2019, Mr Jakypov purchased a plot in the Tash-Dobo village of Alamudun district, and started the construction of his house.

“When we bought the land, we wanted to build the house as fast as possible, to be able to quickly move into our new home”, said Zamirbek Jakypov.

For this purpose, he used new fast construction technologies. Within a few months, the main construction works were completed, but the family still needed some funds for the insulation of the building. “I have four children and it is important that the house is really warm and economical in terms of heating. After visiting a number of banks, I applied for a KyrSEFF loan,” explained Mr Jakypov.

The KyrSEFF loan amounting to US$ 17,195 allowed Zamirbek Jakypov to conduct the full insulation of his house. He installed energy-efficient windows and a highly efficient boiler, and insulated the walls and ceiling. With the US$ 3,152 grant, Mr Jakypov plans to complete the interior decoration of the house.

KyrSEFF consultants have estimated that as a result of this investment in the insulation of the newly constructed house, energy savings will represent 37 MWh per year, and CO2 emissions will be reduced by 29 tonnes annually.

The Kyrgyzstan Sustainable Energy FinancingFacility (KyrSEFF) was developed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and established in 2013, with a total portfolio of US$ 55 million. To reward the successful implementation of energy saving measures through KyrSEFF, beneficiaries receive grants ranging from 10 to 35% from the total investment, and free technical support financed by the European Union (EC-IFCA).