BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Standards for “green”
construction are being actively promoted and implemented in
Azerbaijan, Aysel Yagubova, Executive Director of the Clean Energy
Center of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), said,
Trend reports.


She made the statement during a session on “Decarbonizing
housing and buildings at the City-Industry-Climate Nexus” as part
of WUF13.


"Very recently, the government adopted a ‘green’ taxonomy, which
also contributes to the promotion of energy efficiency projects. In
Turkey, building energy efficiency standards are in place. In
Kazakhstan, large-scale retrofitting projects are being implemented
to modernize Soviet-style buildings. “In the Kyrgyz Republic, with
the support of the UN and UNDP, building codes have been revised to
include enhanced wall insulation and mandatory temperature
control,” she said.


According to her, passive building design measures hold great
potential for reducing emissions.


“This includes building design, shading, thermal insulation, and
optimization of natural lighting. These solutions lay the
foundation for decarbonization as early as the design phase,” she
noted.


She also emphasized the importance of modernizing the existing
housing stock through retrofitting measures.


“These include building insulation, energy-efficient windows,
roof upgrades, and reducing heat loss. These measures are
particularly relevant for the region,” Yagubova said.


According to her, special attention is being paid to integrating
clean energy systems into buildings.


“This includes solar panels on rooftops, decentralized energy
solutions, district heating and cooling systems, as well as smart
energy management,” she added.







She emphasized that efforts should be directed not only toward
new buildings but also toward the existing housing stock.


“Old buildings will remain with us for decades to come, and they
cannot be excluded from modernization processes,” she noted.


Today, the fourth day of the WUF13 conference is taking place in
Baku.


The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the
New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women
and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and
Azerbaijani flags also took place.


The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit,
featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis,
urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the
opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a
significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.


The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of
events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe
and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence
and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and
sustainable transport.


WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.