Objective and project structure

The BUILD_ME project aims to increase ambitions towards achieving climate-neutral building standards in the MENA region by providing technical assistance for pilot projects and facilitating policy dialogue. During the 2016-2018 period, the project developed a comprehensive understanding of the barriers to invest in energy efficient or renewable energy-based heating and cooling systems in the region, which led to several recommendations to address these identified barriers.

Considering the Paris Agreement, the second phase of the project focuses on implementing, upscaling, and permanently adopting the recommendations developed in the first phase. This includes introducing an energy classification scheme for buildings to facilitate access to financing for sustainable buildings. Additionally, the project team provides technical assistance to several early stage pilot projects and, if required, financial support by our partner the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. Through a policy dialogue with relevant stakeholders, the project aims to improve building code implementation and incorporate building sector-specific targets into the nationally determined contributions of the target countries as well as other national and local strategies.

Through the project, key stakeholders and market participants will have access to policy recommendations, macroeconomic analyses, and technical assistance. These resources will help them make more informed decisions when shaping the landscape for energy efficient buildings in the MENA region. The project developed a software tool, the Building Energy Performance (BEP) tool, for calculating the energy demand of buildings as well as the cost-effectiveness of building energy efficiency measures. The project has also developed a building typology database and an open demonstration project database for the MENA region.

The project aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• COMPREHENSIVE: Build on knowledge generated in the first phase to prepare for future collaboration and implement recommendations.
• TARGETED: Increased use of efficient or renewable energy-based heating and air conditioning systems in all new buildings.
• INCLUSIVE: Draw insights from a broad range of stakeholders: owners-occupants, financial institutions, municipalities, ministries, and project developers.
• ENABLING: Facilitate and increase access to financing and funding opportunities for energy efficient building projects in the building sector.
• TRANSFORMATIONAL: Support the reform and transitions of political frameworks towards improving energy efficiency in the building sector.
• FORWARD-LOOKING: Develop software and benchmarks to accelerate the uptake of energy efficiency and renewable energies in buildings.
• TANGIBLE: Focus on supporting the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the pilot projects.

The project is divided into three main phases: Phase I from 2016-2018, Phase II from 2019-2021 and Phase III from 2022-2025. 

In Phase I, the project team selected three target countries (Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon) out of a potential six for the project. A macroeconomic base analysis served as the foundation for the selection process. This base analysis examined the most relevant parameters pertaining to the economic and legal framework in these countries, as well as other aspects influencing the energy efficiency measure implementation in the building sector. The target countries are those in which the framework conditions promise the greatest possible success for the implementing the project objectives. By the end of Phase I, the project team created a comprehensive understanding of the barriers to invest in energy efficient or renewable energy-based heating and cooling in the MENA region.

Phase II of the project focused on implementing the recommendations and project activities in the target countries. This includes supporting pilot project implementation, facilitating policy dialogue to improve energy efficiency policies, and providing key stakeholders with the tools required to make informed decisions.

During Phase III, the BUILD_ME project intends to support national authorities in the target countries in the introduction and implementation of the national building classification system and to enhance the BEP tool including new functions.  In addition, an intensified cooperation with financial institutions to integrate the BEP tool and the classification systems developed into the processes of the financial institutions. As well as supporting the direct exchange between project developers and financial institutions. Target group-specific training for relevant stakeholders is also conducted to enable broad use of the BEP tool and classification system, as well as, supporting authorities and ministries to enable the political framework for energy-efficient and climate-neutral buildings in a demand-oriented manner.

The figure below illustrates the three phases of the BUILD_ME project.