Renovation and Improved Energy Efficiency of Public Schools in High-Mountain Regions

The Municipal Development Fund (MDF) of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure was established in 1997. The fund cooperates with all large investment banks and financial institutions operating in Georgia. It aims to promote the institutional and financial capacities of local self-governmental bodies, making investments in local infrastructure and services, and to improve the economic and social conditions of the local population.

The MDF implements significant infrastructural projects such as: urban renovation, arrangement of infrastructure at tourist and cultural heritage monuments, construction and renovation of schools and kindergartens, improvement of infrastructure to prevent natural disasters, creation of sustainable economic base for internally displaced persons, rehabilitation of water supply systems, construction of shelters for homeless animals, installation of cable cars, renovation of sports infrastructure, and enhancement of the component in support of State and Private Sector Investments. 

The ongoing projects of the Municipal Development Fund include rehabilitation and improved energy efficiency of public schools in the mountainous regions of Georgia with financial support from the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation. With the programme, in the mountainous regions of Georgia, buildings will be fully renovated and their energy efficiency component will be significantly improved, facilitating the creation of appropriate environment for studies. The project will be implemented between 2023-2025 in the municipalities of Tianeti, Gori, Tsalka, Aspindza, Akhaltsikhe, Ambrolauri and Borjomi.

The Municipal Development Fund is carrying out the renovation and energy efficiency improvement of public schools in the mountainous regions of Georgia. Please tell us about the project. How many schools will be renovated? Who are the partners?

The Municipal Development Fund of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure is launching the renovation and improvement of energy efficiency for public schools in the mountainous regions of Georgia with the financial support of the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation. The project envisages increased energy efficiency for 15 schools in high-mountain regions of Georgia in the municipalities of Tainati, Gori, Tsalka, Aspindza, Akhaltsikhe, Ambrolauri and Borjomi. The project will be launched in 2023. The donor of this project is NEFCO (the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation), which will carry out designing work and fund construction. The Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) is an international finance institution, established in 1990 by the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden).

With this program, school buildings will be fully renovated and their energy efficiency component will be significantly improved, the facilitating creation of appropriate environment for studies.

The project will have a significant environmental and social effect. Please tell us more specifically – which Sustainable Development Goals does this project aim to achieve? Why is sustainable development important for the country, society and the planet?

First of all, we will get renovated, well-equipped schools with minimized heating (fuel) costs. The general purpose of the project is to improve social development platform and, in particular, learning conditions for pupils at schools of selected mountainous regions of Georgia, which involves full renovation and/or reconstruction of schools. 

This includes two components – a structural component and an energy efficiency component, which will be implemented in all selected school buildings based on the specific needs of each particular building. The structural component may also include issues such as landscaping and similar activites at nearby areas if this is implemented to improve the long-term structural integrity of the buildings. To finance the project, approximately 6.5 million euros will be allocated, out of which NEFCO’s financing equals 3.9 million euros in the form of a loan while 2.6 million euros come from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) fund in the form of a grant.

Tell us about the future plans and projects of the Municipal Development Fund aimed at meeting the Sustainable Development Agenda.

The activities of the fund are spread across the entire Georgia and include a number of infrastructural projects of various types and difficulty levels. The number of the ongoing projects are at their historic maximum further increasing the challenges the fund is facing.

The MDF carries out important infrastructural projects as educational, tourism, sports, road, transportation and water supply projects. Implementation of infrastructural projects in almost all the municipalities of the country is actively ongoing as part of the programme initiated by the prime minister, which is called Renewed Regions. After completion of the program, central streets will be renovated, and new squares and other municipal infrastructure will be arranged in the regions of Georgia. As a result of the new projects, updated urban locations will create new opportunities for the local population.