03/31/2026

Thermal modernisation in the Ukrainian residential sector

Eine Frau wird interviewt — During a press tour, journalists learned about the thermal refurbishment of apartment blocks in the cities of Ivano-Frankivsk and Novoyavorivsk.

Building modernisation offers three key benefits: warmer homes, lower bills and a contribution to climate action.

In early March 2026, journalists from across Ukraine travelled to the cities of Ivano-Frankivsk and Novoyavorivsk to see firsthand how residents of multi-apartment buildings benefit from the advantages of comprehensive thermal modernisation – and how this contributes to climate action.

During the press tour, media representatives had the opportunity to speak directly with homeowners, local authorities and representatives of the Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Fund.

The activities of the Energy Efficiency Fund are co-financed by the Ukrainian government, the European Union and the German government through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

Visible progress in building modernisation

[Translate to English:] Menschen stehen vor einem Hochhauskomplex — Nowojaworivsk: As a participant in the ‘First Movers’ pilot project, ‘Lypy 2’ was the very first building in Ukraine to be modernised with the help of the Energy Efficiency Fund.

The press tour began in Ivano-Frankivsk, a city where eight multi-apartment buildings have been fully modernised as part of the ‘Energodim’ programme. On the second day, the group visited Novoyavorivsk, where 21 buildings on just two streets have been refurbished.

One of the highlights of the tour was the ‘Lypy 2’ homeowners’ association in Novoyavorivsk. The building was modernised back in 2019, just as the Energy Efficiency Fund was getting started. As a participant in the ‘First Movers’ pilot project, ‘Lypy 2’ was the very first building in Ukraine to be modernised with the help of the Energy Efficiency Fund.

Support from the International Climate Initiative

The IKI supports the homeowners’ association through all stages of preparation right up to the implementation of energy efficiency measures.

Today, around 20% of the old high-rise buildings in Novoyavorivsk have been refurbished, and work is continuing.

The local authorities in both Ivano-Frankivsk and Novoyavorivsk are actively committed to supporting participants in the ‘Energodim’ programme. In Ivano-Frankivsk, the municipality provides reimbursement for up to 30% of the loan amount that homeowners’ associations have taken out to implement energy efficiency measures. In Novoyavorivsk, the local support programme focuses on reimbursing interest on bank loans.

Contributions to climate action

Modernised buildings not only look more attractive from the outside; their main benefits are also evident inside – in the form of lower energy bills and warmer homes.

On average, projects carried out under the ‘Energodim’ programme result in energy savings of around 27%.

“The cheapest energy is the energy we don´t use”

Voices from the press tour

Oksana Ivaniuk, head of the homeowners’ association “Kytaiska Stina” (“Chinease Wall”) in Ivano-Frankivsk, notes:

“The results of the modernisation have exceeded all expectations. Residents of three-room apartments report savings on heating costs of between 35 and 40%, whilst those in two-room apartments achieve savings of between 40 and 50%. In addition to lower utility bills, the property’s market value has also risen, with apartment prices increasing by around 30%”.

Katarína Mathernová, the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, emphasised the importance of energy efficiency measures in the residential sector and stated:

“Energy efficiency, supported by the Energy Efficiency Fund, brings numerous benefits: as Russia relentlessly targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure, it keeps homes warm when resources are scarce. In the long term, it boosts economic recovery, competitiveness and investments, because the cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use”.

Background to the ‘Energodim’ programme

The renovation work on the buildings visited is being carried out as part of ‘Energodim’, a national programme implemented by the Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Fund. The programme offers homeowners’ associations a reimbursement of 60 to 70 per cent of the costs for labour, materials and equipment, depending on the package of measures chosen.

This usually includes, amongst other things, the installation of a commercial heat meter and individual heat distribution units, the insulation of internal heating and water pipes, the hydraulic balancing of the heating system, the replacement or repair of external doors and windows in communal areas, and the thermal insulation of walls.

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