As part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) project “Developing National Capacity through Improving Regulatory Environment towards Energy Efficient and Sustainable Building Sector”, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, a series of seminars on energy efficiency and the sustainable development of the construction sector was held in Ashgabat from 2 to 4 September 2026. 

The seminars, held at the Turkmen State Architecture and Construction Institute (TSACI), brought together the Institute’s faculty members and students. The event aimed to enhance knowledge and practical skills in the design and construction of near-zero energy buildings, while promoting modern energy-efficient solutions in Turkmenistan’s building sector. 

During the seminars, participants explored how new residential and public near-zero energy buildings can be designed and constructed in accordance with green and environmentally friendly technologies and standards, enabling them to qualify for relevant green building certification, shared insights from international experience in the use of energy-efficient technologies and discussed their applicability to Turkmenistan’s residential and public building sector in light of the country’s climatic conditions. 

A day earlier, on 1 September 2026, during the inauguration ceremony of the new building complex of the Turkmen State Architecture and Construction Institute, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan Narine Sahakyan presented the Institute with six international “Green Certificates.” The certificates confirm that the new building complex meets modern environmental and energy-efficiency standards, demonstrating the practical application of energy-efficient construction principles in Turkmenistan.