Home owners partnerships and “Mulokot” centres – a dialog in search of ways to implement the turn down energy demand strategy in housing sector of Uzbekistan

Panel: Panel 6. Dynamics of consumption

Authors:
Rano Baykhanova, United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan
Said Inogamov, Uzbek-Canadian Joint Venture “LEXX”

Abstract

The people of Uzbekistan, the most populated country in Central Asia, are a key factor and consumer in the housing sector. Former monopolistic systems of State run utilities has demonstrated its incompetence and inefficiency in gas, water, heat saving and proper maintenance of housing stock. The result is wasteful energy consumption, some times higher than world standards, lack of metering and adequate tariffs with a poor quality of communal services provided. In 1999 the Law on Home Owners Partnerships based on the best international practice of condominiums, co-operatives and communes adapted to Uzbekistan’s environment as a country in transition have been passed. There are now 1 400 partnerships that maintain up to 90% of tenement-houses with the involvement of other NGOs such as makhallas (neighbourhood communities), public utilities, local government and private sector providing an enabling environment for ESCOs occurrence. The experience gained shows that perception of new social, economic and legal environments is a complex process. Awareness about problems and positive achievements of the partnership activities, rights and commitments of the partnerships’ members, ways to get loans and donor assistance has a great importance. The first centre aimed to continuous work with population, partnerships and utilities is the Republic "Mulokot" (Dialog) Centre established by the Agency "Uzcommunkhizmat" with technical assistance of Tacis Programme.

An active role in decision-making in the reduction of energy demand through rational use and savings combined with introduction of modern energy saving technologies and market economy mechanisms is an efficient and effective way to secure a sustainable development of the country.