Improving energy efficiency in the building sector through the use of renewable raw materials from agroforestry systems

More than half of primary energy consumption in Uzbekistan is being spent on the energy supply for the building sector. There is great need to increase efficiency through improved insulation of houses and to substitute carbon-intensive building materials with locally available bio-based resources. Based on locally adapted building design, materials, and improved production methods, the project develops resource-saving alternatives that combine both traditional and modern construction using wood, agricultural residues and clay. To demonstrate the advantages of such building systems it will build a model house in Tashkent. Educational materials will be developed that focus on the systemic relationships and synergetic benefits between agroforestry, ecosystem services, housing systems, energy efficiency and human well-being. These training modules will be included in the curricula of vocational and higher education. E-leaning contents will be made available for wider audiences in Central Asia.

Project data

Countries
Uzbekistan
IKI funding
620,663.92 €
Duration
08/2021 till 07/2024
Status
open
Implementing organisation
Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde - HNEE) - Germany
Implementing Partner
  • International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF))*
  • Tashkent lnstitute of lrrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME)

State of implementation/results

  • Data collection stage has been started by first researching literature on the traditional, conventional and available construction materials in Uzbekistan, as well as existing teaching materials on construction materials in higher education.
  • Data collection on direct and indirect carbon emission from conventional house building systems is in the process.
  • On the 19th May of 2022, the hybrid Dialogue Event of VEGERA took place in TIIAME. Many stakeholders took part in the event, for instance, the State Forestry Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, scientists and researchers who work in the fields of forestry, agroforestry, energy-efficient building, etc., practitioners, like woodworkers and carpenters. They came together to discuss the potentials of building energy-efficient house, what bio-local raw materials and what technologies can be used.
  • VEGERA project team under the lead of ICRAF-CIFOR has virtually taken part in the 5th World Congress on Agroforestry in July 2022. The presentation in video format was presented on the abstract of “Poplar-based agroforestry as an economic source for renewable raw materials in irrigated agriculture in Central Asia”. The research discusses the potential of annual wood harvest from poplar agroforestry systems and how this can meet the timber demand of the Central Asian countries.
  • Publication of the research on the topic of “Potential of Agroforestry to Provide Wood Resources to Central Asia” in July 2022 (www.mdpi.com/…) -- Uzbek delegation consisting of project partners from the implementation country and important stakeholders like architects and entrepreneur visited Germany in February 2023. The programme included knowledge exchange through presentations, discussions, and excursions. During the excursion, the delegation visited a testing field of agroforestry practices, a wood workshop, sawmills, architectural faculty at TU Berlin and a building company from wood.
  • Participation and presentations in the international hybrid Women in Science Forum dedicated to International Women’s Day in March 2023 in “TIIAME” NRU, Uzbekistan.
  • Project partners CIFOR-ICRAF visited Uzbekistan and met with the partners “TIIAME” NRU at the end of May and the beginning of June 2023. Excursions took place to learn about traditional building methods, wood value chain, and wood processing in Uzbekistan.
  • The newly appointed Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Aziz Abdukhakimov visited HNEE in June 2023. Common interests in the fields of education and research were confirmed and cooperation possibilities were explored.

Latest Update:
03/2024

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