Background

UNDP Belarus supports the Government of the Republic of Belarus in a wide range of areas. They all fall within the National Sustainable Socio-Economic Development Strategy till 2020, which was approved by the Government on 22 June 2004. UNDP plays an important role as a partner to the Government of Belarus in energy efficiency improvement policy and programs. In particular, UNDP has supported the Government of Belarus through capacity building and expert advice to achieve its GDP energy intensity reduction target through the project “Improving Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings in the Republic of Belarus” funded by GEF under its Climate Change Focal Area Strategy.

Belarus lacks domestic energy resources, and has thereby to import around 90% of energy consumed in the country. The housing stock consumes over 40% of the total amount of energy used for heating and hot water supply. In the beginning of 2013, the Belarus’ housing stock totals about 242 million square meters of residential buildings, including about 170 million square meters of old buildings which were constructed before 1994 according to the old Soviet practices and norms when annual specific consumption of heat energy varied from 150 to 200 kWh/m2. Since that time, the housing construction standards changed significantly, and for the time being energy efficiency improvement measures in this sector resulted in reduction of annual heat energy specific consumption by about 100 kWh/m2 in newly constructed buildings. The recent national standards stipulate annual specific consumption of heat energy to be not higher than 60 kWh/m2. To facilitate construction of residential buildings in line with the said new standard, Belarus started production of new for the country energy efficient insulating materials, new thermal energy regulators and meters and introduced new types of window design to be used in construction of new buildings. Under this practice 5-6 million square meters of new residential buildings are annually put into service in the country in the past few years.

Nevertheless, as indicated by many experts and acknowledged by the Government of Belarus, the applied measures only partially removed existing barriers and the 60 kWh/m2 standard does not reflect the energy saving potential in the housing construction sector, whilst many EU countries are developing new regulatory documents, which envisage transition to construction of buildings with space-heating energy consumption of less than 30 kWh/m2 a year with the best achieved engineering solutions leading to about 15 kWh/m2 a year. Therefore, the Ministry of Architecture and Construction with support of the State Standardization Committee’s Department for Energy Efficiency have implemented a couple of pilot projects to demonstrate that there is still large energy savings potential while introducing some other state-of-the-art techniques into building construction practice. According to these projects and best European practices, the energy efficiency improvement solutions can be found in innovative building design principles, such as the optimal constructive-technological and space-and-planning solutions based on integrated energy performance of a building, the combination of heating and ventilating functions with forced ventilation and heat recovery up to 80% from the exhaust air, the heat recovery from drainage waters, the solar water heating, the utilization of ground heat by a heat pump, the automatic regulation of heat and hot water consumption, the use of thorough thermo-vision study to identify actual heat-shielding characteristics of the building envelope, and other applicable energy efficiency improvement technologies and approaches.

Today, the Belarusian Government sets the objective to move towards mass construction of energy efficient buildings in Belarus that is consistent with the new EU standards. Nevertheless, despite the availability of technical means and materials and capacities to apply new technologies, there are still certain technical, legislative, institutional, economic and technological barriers to improving energy efficiency in residential buildings in Belarus.

The aim of the project, planned for 4 years, is to reduce energy consumption during the construction and operation of residential buildings and a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The focus of the project will be devoted to develop and ensure effective implementation of new methods of designing of residential buildings and construction standards with related energy certification schemes efficiency.

In particular, the project will help achieve the following objectives:

• Provide support to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework, as well as mechanisms to enforce the legislation for improving the energy efficiency in the building sector;
• Facilitate the development of enhanced capacity of the Belarusian specialists to implement and effectively enforce the new energy efficiency building standards and construction norms;
• Implement pilot projects to demonstrate the energy and cost-saving potential of new energy efficiency measures on the example of three residential buildings in two Belarusian cities;
• Ensure awareness of industry experts and the general public on energy efficiency in the residential sector;
• Establish monitoring mechanisms and replication to ensure the reproduction of the results of the project in Belarus and abroad.

Duties and Responsibilities

Main objectives, responsibilities and description of the proposed analytical work

This assignment has an objective to provide consultation and advice to the PIU, other national experts, energy efficient building developers and other relevant stakeholders with regard to (i) implementation strategy and related interventions of the Project, (ii) key technical recommendations as to application of best European and international design and construction practices, regulations and standards, (iii) expected failing (lacking) results and outputs and potential barriers, (iv) assistance in conducting study tours and seminars abroad and (v) best and feasible design solutions for the pilot projects, and (vi) review/revision of design and construction documentations prepared by developers for the pilot

Scope of work, responsibilities and description of the proposed analytical work

The Consultant will work in a team with a local consultant on energy efficiency in buildings. The Consultant should work also in close coordination with other PIU members who are to assist the Consultant in collecting necessary information requested by the Consultant and in communicating with all stakeholders. From his/her side the Consultant should advise the PIU with relevant information on best international practices and lessons learnt in the field of energy efficiency improvement in residential buildings, and, as needed, build the capacity of local experts working for the Project in this field. The Consultant should assist the Project Manager in establishing new networks and international partnerships to support the Project’s objectives.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1- Terms of Reference.

Competencies

• Strong report writing skills;
• Good analytical skills and communications abilities;
• Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks;
• Familiarity with UNDP requirements is an advantage;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced University degree in the fields of jurisprudence, standardization, engineering, civil engineering, or power engineering.

• At least 3 years of practical implementation of policies and practices in the field of efficient energy consumption in residential and public buildings, energy performance certification and standards, preferably in residential buildings;
• Demonstrated practical experience and success in performing of similar assignments in at least one international technical assistance project or its relevant sub-components in Belarus and/or any of the Eastern European and CIS countries;
• Solid knowledge, demonstrated by at least 5 relevant publications and/or at least 5 evidences in professional experience records about internationally recognized methodologies, advanced regulations and standards, state-of-the-art approaches and best international practices in the field of energy performance certification, standardization and energy management, in particular the knowledge about practical applications of energy performance certification system in residential housing;
• At least one evidence in professional experience records concerning abilities to perform as a lecturer for training courses;
• Experience in writing and presenting reports to a high professional level (which includes graphs, pictures, diagrams, figures and other illustrative tools to enhance the reporting quality
• Familiarity with relevant Belarusian regulations and standards is an asset.

Annex I – Terms of Reference

Annex II – FINANCE PROPOSAL

Annex III – IC contract form

Annex IV – General Terms for IC contracts

Annex V - Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability.