Climate change
The Affordable Housing and Resilient Urban Renewal Project (AHURP) will launch a large-scale demonstration initiative, providing comprehensive, integrated, and affordable solutions for ger area households and leveraging private sector investments. The aim of the project is to deliver 10,000 green housing units that are energy efficient, affordable, and designed to maximize the use of renewable energy. 100 hectares of ger areas will be redeveloped into eco-districts that are both low-carbon and climate resilient as part of the project.
The objectives of the project, based on a range of climate adaptation and mitigation measures, are to (i) improve the climate resilience of Ulaanbaatar city and the adaptability of Mongolia to climate change; and (ii) reduce greenhouse gas emission and pollution, and improve the livability in Ulaanbaatar city, by transforming the highly climate-vulnerable and high polluting peri-urban areas of Ulaanbaatar (ger areas) into eco-districts characterized as low-carbon, climate resilient, and affordable.
Greenhouse gas emission
Ger areas are settlements of low- and middle-income households characterized by loosely aligned plots, creating irregular pathways that remain unpaved.
People living in the ger areas of Ulaanbaatar are highly vulnerable to climate change, and air pollution, caused by households burning coal for heating and cooking, contributing in turn to greenhouse gas emissions.
The Project addresses these concerns by providing the population in selected ger areas a low-carbon and climate resilient alternative via affordable housing in apartments that are connected to the main urban infrastructure service networks.
The resulting impact will be improved living conditions in Mongolia by assisting Ulaanbaatar to be a safe, healthy and green city that is resilient to climate change and provides a livable environment for its residents. For example, a reduction in air pollution in ger areas will also benefit 1.4 million residents of Ulaanbaatar.
The resulting impact will be improved living conditions in Mongolia by assisting Ulaanbaatar to be a safe, healthy and green city that is resilient to climate change and provides a livable environment for its residents. For example, a reduction in air pollution in ger areas will also benefit 1.4 million residents of Ulaanbaatar.
AHURP aims to achieve energy efficiency higher than present Mongolian Standards require and reduce dependence on CO2 producing energy sources. As Mongolia is moving towards integrating modern energy efficiency technology into prevailing standards for design, construction and operation of buildings, and utilities services, the project will enable and contribute for the implementation of energy efficiency in housing sector.
Annual greenhouse gas emission reductions due to AHURP are preliminarily estimated at 204,410 tCO2e, as the result of investments in solar PV (17,261 tCO2e/y) and insulation of buildings (187,149tCO2e/y).
Project benefits and beneficiaries
Mitigation
- Direct economic lifetime (40 years) GHG emission reductions of 7.92 million tCO2e.
- Indirect economic lifetime GHG emission reductions of 39.59 million tCO2e (including direct emission reductions)
Adaptation
- 35,000 primary direct beneficiaries from reduced climate change vulnerability
- 350,000 primary indirect beneficiaries from reduced climate change vulnerability
Mitigation measures:
Energy efficiency/Additional insulation: Energy consumption for heating from 395 kWh/m2 per year to 151 kWh/m2 per year; 74 sqm additional insulation per apartment
Solar PV: 11MW, 72,000 sqm PV solar panels on rooftops
Street-lighting: Energy efficient street-lights for eco-districts
SMART monitoring system: Heating regulation system, energy efficiency monitoring system, renewable energy control, sensors for building control, air filter, etc.
Green areas: 30% of land use is public space including 15% of green space and green areas at each eco-district
Adaptation measures:
Greenhouse: Eco-district will have greenhouses for operation by the residents to support livelihood and food supply.
The number of beneficiaries including direct replication is at least another 35,000 people and including indirect replication is projected to be 350,000 people. The above estimate excludes the inhabitants of the apartments that will be built after the end of AHURP using the funding mechanisms developed during AHURP.
The total number of primary direct beneficiaries enjoying enhanced resilience to climate change will be at least 35,000, which corresponds to the expected number of inhabitants of the new apartments built within AHURP. The new apartments will provide better protection against harsh Mongolian winters and the consequences of climate change through better flood protection, providing access to water and sanitation, and improved waste and wastewater management.