GBCE Presents Ulaanbaatar's AHURP’s Sustainability Roadmap & KPIs
GBCE Founder and primary engineering consultant Armelle Le Bihan was invited to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to present on behalf of the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar (MUB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Ulaanbaatar green affordable Housing and resilient Urban Renewal Project (AHURP). She presented the AHURP’s sustainability roadmap and its implementation into the design of Ulaanbaatar’s eco-district.
The aim 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.
According to the AHURP Proposal the project will drive the improvement of the regulatory and enforcement framework for climate responsive urban planning, green building, and affordable housing. It will lead transformational impacts on policies, institutions, and sector capacity for energy efficient construction material and techniques, effective community participation, renewable energy systems, efficient supply chains for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency, and comprehensive urban planning that combines climate resilience, social cohesion, and economic opportunities. AHURP will serve as an important demonstration initiative that can be replicated both within Ulaanbaatar and in other Mongolian cities. It will also help to develop the sectoral and institutional capacities to address climate change vulnerabilities and provide low carbon housing.
During her presentation, Armelle highlighted the different KPIs which are set for this ambitious project. The KPIs were selected in response to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) requirements and supplemented by international high performance green building rating schemes. They cover environmental aspects such as carbon emission reduction, energy efficiency, LCA of materials but also human health including air quality and affordability concerns.
The project is now undergoing a design optimization phase where these KPIs are translated into design specifications which are assessed parametrically against targets set. The objective being to design, build and operate an optimized building to high performance sustainability standards. The project partners will also generate awareness and promote knowledge exchange of sustainable buildings.
The direct beneficiaries of the project are expected to reach 100,000 people that will directly benefit from living in low carbon and climate resilient affordable housing units, living and working in an improved and better adapted urban environment, and more resilient and healthiest urban areas.
The objectives of the project are to
improve the climate resilience of Ulaanbaatar city and the adaptability of Mongolia to climate change; and
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
The event was organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) following an MOU with the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development (MCUD) to jointly develop mandatory regulations and voluntary policies to encourage and promote green buildings in Mongolia.
You can learn more about the project from the AHURP Proposal.
