Client: Habitat for Humanity International, financed by USAID
Duration: August 2014 – September 2016
REELIH looked at the increase of energy efficiency and the refurbishment of dilapidated buildings inhabited by low-income households as a way to counter effectively and on a long-term basis the energy poverty of households. Concentrating on Armenia and Bosnia, the project consisted of need assessment in the designated countries, advocacy work and pilot projects. MRI staff acted consults, focusing on three activities:
- Providing constant support to the local Habitat offices (commissioned to carry out the local projects) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Armenia by assisting the field research, supporting the reporting process, and formulating recommendations for the two countries about the conditions of establishing a successful national/cantonal programs;
- Undertaking the comparative analysis of energy efficiency renewal programmes in four Central and Eastern European countries: Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania;
- Elaborating a final report, comprising of the synthesis of national and regional research findings in the CEE countries and formulating policy recommendations on the national and regional level .
MRI concluded that introducing the same energy efficient interventions in Armenia and Bosnia are not feasible targeting low-income households, as only middle to upper middle class households could afford financing these interventions, even with public sector support. In addition, the most significant impediments against energy efficient renovations in the multi-family building stock are rooted in the inadequate legal system (insufficient laws and regulations on condominium management) and the ineffective operation of the financial system (risk-avoiding behaviour of financial institutions).