Six additional kindergartens in Armenia’s capital Yerevan will be undergoing deep renovation including seismic strengthening and energy efficiency measures co-funded by a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) guaranteed by the European Union (EU), a grant from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P), a technical assistance grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and own funds of the Municipality of Yerevan. Today, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan signed the contracts for overhauling municipal kindergartens with two contractor organizations: Arpa Sevan (for kindergartens #22, 23, 47, and 48) and ArHov Shin (for kindergartens #71 and 74).

The children and staff at the Yerevan kindergartens will benefit from improved facilities, such as better insulated walls, roofs, and ceilings, new windows and doors, reinforced stairs, and repair heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. The buildings will be adapted for people with locomotor disabilities.

The six kindergartens are among the first of 90 kindergartens in the Armenian capital that will be refurbished to improve their energy efficiency, seismic stability, and sanitary conditions in the context of the COVID-19 situation. The effort is part of the Yerevan Energy Efficiency Project worth €15 million, in which an EIB loan of €7 million is being complemented by a €5 million grant from the E5P, a technical assistance grant of €1 million from the Green Climate Fund via the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Yerevan Municipality’s own funds of €2 million.

The E5P grant will help Armenia improve energy efficiency, contributing to energy security and economic competitiveness while having a positive impact on the environment. The European Union is the largest contributor to the E5P Fund in Armenia, with €10 million pledged. Other contributors include Sweden (€7 million), Germany (€4 million), Norway, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Slovakia, Lithuania, and the Taiwan Business EBRD TA Fund. Armenia is also an E5P donor with a contribution of €1 million.

On top of a much safer and more comfortable environment, the EIB-supported Yerevan Energy Efficiency Project will result in primary energy savings of 12 154 MWh a year, reduce CO2 emissions by 2 412 tonnes a year and significantly decrease other greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation.

Source:https://bit.ly/3gU9SKy