Showing 696 results
Resource
Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction: Beyond foundations: Mainstreaming sustainable solutions to cut emissions from the buildings sector
Tracks global progress on building decarbonization, emphasizing energy efficiency, resilient construction methods, and nature-based/biophilic design. Highlights policy gaps, outdated energy codes, and the need for stronger systemic interventions. While not exclusively focused on passive cooling, it promotes nature-based design and building envelope improvements that support passive cooling.
Resource
Green and blue spaces – Contribution to reducing cooling demand and increasing resilience in cities. An analysis of urban contexts in fast-developing countries
Examines how nature-based solutions (green roofs, walls, urban forests, blue zones) and energy efficiency reduce urban heat, with co-benefits for resilience and emissions reduction. Focuses on policy and planning conditions and business models for integrating these solutions in fast-growing cities, with case studies from Rajkot and Mombasa.
Resource
Green Public Procurement Technical Guidelines and Specifications for Energy Efficient Air Conditioners
The Green Public Procurement Technical Guidelines provide detailed technical specifications and procurement guidance specifically for energy-efficient air conditioners to help governments adopt sustainable public procurement (SPP) programs. These guidelines include the specification of energy performance criteria, methodologies for lifecycle cost evaluation, standards for refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP), and noise (sound power) thresholds. The goal is to support bulk procurement by public sector entities in a way that accelerates the market uptake of efficient cooling appliances, contributing to energy savings and emissions reductions in developing and emerging economies.
Resource
Green Public Procurement Technical Guidelines and Specifications for Energy Efficient Refrigeration Appliances
This guideline offers technical procurement criteria for energy-efficient refrigeration appliances intended for sustainable public procurement use. It covers four market sectors: domestic refrigerators and freezers, commercial/professional refrigeration (closed, self-contained units), vending machines, and laboratory-grade refrigerators and freezers. Key topics include energy consumption limits, refrigerant and foam agent standards (with GWP/ODP thresholds), food preservation performance (compartment temperatures, climatic zones), durability and reparability (availability of spare parts, repair information, warranties), environmental sound management (end-of-life handling, packaging), and social criteria. It also provides tools like an Excel spreadsheet to support life cycle cost and emissions comparison of procurement options. This resource helps public entities design tenders and procurement policies that favor high-efficiency, climate-friendly refrigeration equipment and ensures that these purchases deliver long-term energy, cost, and environmental benefits.
Resource
Growing Resilience: Unlocking the Potential of Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa
Highlights the role of integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) into broader climate and development policies to enhance resilience. Emphasizes the need for policy alignment, dedicated financing mechanisms, technical capacity building, and improved data/benefit tracking. Calls for mainstreaming NBS into planning frameworks and ensuring community-responsive approaches.
Resource
Guide to Building Sustainable Testing Capacity in ECOWAS
This guide offers step-by-step instructions for establishing sustainable and effective testing capacity in ECOWAS states to support energy efficiency programmes. It helps stakeholders assess whether to build national test laboratories or pursue alternatives (e.g. outsourcing) and provides tools (including a financial evaluation tool) for evaluating cost, demand, and institutional requirements. The guide is particularly useful for regulators and programmes in early stages, helping them avoid underutilized or unsustainable investments, ensure credible compliance testing, and bolster market surveillance of regulated products.
Resource
Guidelines on Integrating Nature-based Passive Cooling Options into Urban Planning and Design
Provides 39 strategies to mitigate Urban Heat Island effects through nature-based cooling, including urban greening, permeable surfaces, improved ventilation, and ecological asset protection. Designed for Guangzhou but draws on global best practices from Singapore, New York, and Sydney.
Resource
Harmonizing of Energy-Efficiency Standards for Room Air Conditioners in Southeast Asia
This study examines how ASEAN countries can harmonize energy-efficiency standards and testing methods for room air conditioners. It provides a detailed comparison of performance metrics across member states, including adjustments for different climate zones, and highlights approaches for developing climate-sensitive minimum energy performance standards (MEPS). The resource is particularly useful for government agencies, standards bodies, and regional policymakers seeking to align national regulations, reduce market barriers, and enhance regional cooperation. It includes practical recommendations on harmonization pathways, technical considerations for MEPS and labelling programmes, and insights into how consistent standards can drive higher efficiency and cost savings for both governments and consumers.
Resource
Heat Pumping Technologies-Technology Collaboration Programme (HPT TCP)
The Heat Pumping Technologies TCP (HPT TCP) is an international programme dedicated to advancing research, development, demonstration, and deployment of heat pump technologies used in heating, cooling, air-conditioning, and refrigeration. It supports member countries in overcoming technical, regulatory, and market barriers by organizing collaborative “annex” projects that focus on technical innovation, harmonizing test methods, exploring low-GWP refrigerants, and enabling system integration (e.g. with thermal networks or smart grid). The programme also publishes annual reports, organizes triennial conferences (Heat Pump Conference), and provides a platform for sharing best practices among policy, industry, and research actors.
Resource
Heat Pumps Savings Potential Assessment
This assessment estimates how much energy and emissions could be saved by introducing energy-efficient heat pumps in countries with high heating demand. It compares several scenarios, including Baseline (no new interventions), Minimum Ambition (introducing MEPS from 2023), High Ambition, and a Replacement Scenario where all new heating demand is met with heat pumps. The report uses country-specific data on product efficiency, lifetime, fuel sources (gas, coal, oil, biomass, etc.), and heating degree days to project savings in delivered (and primary) energy, reductions in CO₂ emissions, and cost savings from energy bills by 2040. It shows that switching traditional heating systems (like boilers and burners) to efficient heat pumps plus stricter performance standards can offer substantial benefits. The resource helps users understand what policy levers matter most (e.g. MEPS and market penetration assumptions), and it supports planning efforts (e.g. setting efficiency targets, designing incentives) with quantitative evidence.