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Asian Development Bank

100 Climate Actions from Cities in Asia and the Pacific

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An upgrade to a hospital that serves some of the most disadvantaged areas in Mongolia’s capital is receiving special financial support to adopt low-carbon technologies.

The Khan Uul district hospital in Ulaanbaatar serves vulnerable populations living in the peri-urban areas of Ulaanbaatar city, which has one of the world’s worst air pollution levels. The project will incorporate low-carbon technologies such as energy efficient ventilation systems, effective window insulation, ground-source heat pumps, and solar power.

Ground-source heat pumps in three family health centers will replace the heat supply from electric heaters powered by coal-fired power plants from mid-September through to mid-May in the coldest capital in the world. These technologies will contribute to the reduction of energy use from coal-fired power plants and help lower air pollution levels in Ulaanbaatar.

2.9K

TONS OF CO₂ EQUIVALENT SAVED ANNUALLY

The project is financed with $3.48 million in grant support from the Japan Fund for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JFJCM), which is one of ADB’s trust funds that offers grants to incentivise the adoption of advanced low-carbon technologies. The grant also includes strategic capacity building to ensure the sustainability of the investment and continued support for operation and maintenance.

The green loans assist citizens with purchasing environmentally friendly houses and incorporating energy efficiency improvements (photo by ADB).

The Challenge

Due to the extreme cold climate, Ulaanbaatar has a very long heating period. The typical heating period is from mid-September to mid-May, resulting in huge demand for energy, where coal is the main fuel.

Co-Benefits

Economic Smart building design and building energy efficiency will reduce heat and energy requirements for the building. These savings can be used for other services provided by the hospital/health centers.

Health The program will contribute to poverty reduction by improving access to quality and affordable health services in Ulaanbaatar ger areas.