In Lviv, a delegation of German government officials led by the Federal Minister of Germany for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, Carsten Schneider, inspected a modernised residential building in Sykhiv. The visit began with a tour of a 15-storey block at 40 Chervonoi Kalyny Avenue, where comprehensive insulation was combined with the installation of solar panels.
On the building’s roof, the minister was accompanied by First Deputy Mayor of Lviv Andriy Moskalenko. During the visit, they discussed the challenges facing Ukrainian cities in wartime: energy security, energy independence, urban resilience and the role of international support. According to Andriy Moskalenko, Lviv has long-standing practical cooperation with partner cities in Germany in the fields of healthcare, energy, the environment and infrastructure, and this building has become a showcase example of such collaboration.
The building at 40 Chervonoi Kalyny Avenue was made energy efficient under the national “Enerhodim” programme. The façade was repaired and insulated, the heating system was modernised, the attic was insulated and a rooftop solar power plant was installed. The panels supply the building with electricity during outages, allowing key systems to keep running. At present, it is the only high-rise from the district’s older housing stock that has its own solar power plant.
As explained by the housing manager and project support manager for the “Enerhodim” programme, Tetyana Afanasieva, the building has 70 flats, and the measures implemented have made it possible to significantly reduce heat consumption. According to her, in 2021–2022 the heating system was fully modernised, the building and attic were insulated, and a mini individual heat metering system was installed, enabling residents to regulate a comfortable temperature themselves and save money. Heating bills, by their calculations, are three times lower than in neighbouring buildings that have not been modernised.
In 2024, under the “GreenDIM” programme, a solar power plant was installed on the roof. It keeps the lifts running during power cuts, which is particularly important for a 15-storey building. The plant also powers the entryphone system and CCTV, enhancing residents’ safety. According to Tetyana Afanasieva, even in winter, during prolonged outages, the power plant can supply the building with energy for 7–8 hours.
The national “Enerhodim” programme made it possible to carry out a full modernisation of the building with 70% of the cost of the works reimbursed. In addition, the city provided funding of UAH 1 million. In total, 34 residential buildings in Lviv have already been modernised under this programme, most of them located in the large residential district of Sykhiv.
German partners have been involved in the project from the outset: they financed the development of the design and cost documentation for the building’s modernisation, and also provided technical and architectural supervision. During the visit, Carsten Schneider stressed the importance of such solutions for urban resilience and the development of green energy.
“These solutions work effectively, and we are ready to support you with our knowledge and technologies. Cooperation on environmental issues is extremely important when we talk about resilience, innovation and crisis management,” said Carsten Schneider.
Alongside the minister, representatives of the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building of Germany (BMWSB), the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine and German companies operating in the fields of energy, municipal infrastructure, water supply, waste management and environmental technologies also came to Lviv. At meetings with city officials, they are discussing further areas of cooperation between Lviv, local enterprises and German businesses in the sectors of energy, water supply, renewable energy and the city’s green transition.