Development and Implementation of Energy Codes For Buildings in Kazakhstan

The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Center for Energy Efficiency (CENEf), and Kazakh agencies, is working to advance the development and implementation of building energy codes in the Republic of Kazakhstan.  This work is supported by cooperative agreements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).

Goals

The primary goal of the project is to reduce energy consumption in the Kazakh building sector, thereby reducing emissions of CO2 and local airborne pollutants.  We also believe that the project will result in a number of other important benefits, including: 

Permanent expansion of markets for energy-efficient products, including building envelope materials and components, controls, and heating systems;

• Greater flexibility for Kazakh architects and their clients to exercise design creativity and cost optimization;
• Improved effectiveness by Kazakh agencies in inspection and enforcement of building-code compliance;
• Delivery of reliable energy-cost information to owners, tenants, and real-estate markets on the whole;
• Strengthened ties between the United States and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The project is intended to be national in scope within Kazakhstan, and will address both new construction and some capital renovation, in the residential and commercial building sectors. 

Background

IMT’s work in Kazakhstan builds upon major program successes achieved in the Russian Federation.  Between 1994 and 2000, IMT, NRDC, and CENEf, under the partial support of U.S. EPA, developed a model regional energy code for buildings in Russia.  Whereas the existing Russian federal code had previously included only prescriptive requirements for building envelopes, the IMT/NRDC model regional code introduced a performance-based compliance path that considers the efficiency of heating systems as well as thermal envelope properties.  The model code also embodies increases in overall energy-efficiency requirements.  The project team estimates that as it is implemented, the regional code is resulting in buildings that consume about 50 percent less energy per unit of floor area than most existing building stock, and 40 percent less energy per unit of floor area than buildings minimally compliant with pre-existing federal codes.

The model code has met with huge success in Russia — and its impact continues to ripple through the country.  Since 1998, thirty-one oblasts, krays, and autonomous republics in Russia have adopted codes.  Given the sheer numbers and the geographic extent of the different Russian regions adopting codes, it is currently not feasible to measure or calculate the emissions-reductions effects of the codes.  It is clear, however, that energy savings and avoided emissions are quite substantial.  In the city of Moscow alone, official data indicate that energy savings from adoption of the model code between 1994 and 2000 stood at about 1.8 TWh,[1] or about 300,000 tons of avoided CO2 emissions.  Savings from all regions through 2001 would likely far surpass these numbers from Moscow.

Action Steps in Kazakhstan

Our work in Kazakhstan will integrate market research, technical analysis, establishment of institutional partnerships, and training.  We plan the following specific actions between 2002 and 2005:

• Initial assessment of construction practices, markets, and existing energy policies in Kazakhstan. 
• Meetings in Kazakhstan with federal and regional agencies, design institutions, and construction-industry stakeholders. 
• Training visits to the United States for selected Kazakh officials and specialists.
• Preparation of a draft model energy code for buildings in Kazakhstan, and coordination of review and revision on this draft.
• Presentation of a final model code to Kazakh agencies.
• Delivery of technical support and training seminars to support adoption and implementation.
• Development of design guidelines on how to comply with codes and why it makes sense for building owners to go beyond the code.