Baghdad: The “Green House” design competition concluded today, Monday, in Baghdad. The event was part of the BEIT project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the closing ceremony featured design proposals and solutions for more energy-efficient buildings, presented by nine teams comprising engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators following three months of intensive training and mentoring. Deputy Programme Manager for the International Trade Centre in Iraq, Kieu Nguyen, stated that the competition aimed to develop practical, viable solutions to improve the energy efficiency of Iraqi homes. The initiative was based on a scenario involving a budget of approximately $5,000 to upgrade an existing traditional home, utilizing the funds as effectively as possible to address Iraq’s climatic conditions.
He explained that the project’s next phase would shift from design to practical implementation by applying the winning solutions to 75 homes in a Mosul neighborhood, with support from the European Union and in coordination with Iraqi government partners. He added that participating middle-income families would invest approximately $2,500 of their own funds in home improvements, with the pilot “Green House” fund matching that amount; the work is to be carried out according to technical standards and by trained technicians. He explained that the model aims to encourage households to invest in home improvements that yield both economic and environmental benefits. These include reduced energy consumption for cooling, lower electricity bills, and enhanced home resilience against heatwaves, alongside easing the strain on the electrical grid and creating new job opportunities.
Nguyen noted that the “Bayt” project runs in parallel with training programs for Iraqi youth-particularly in solar energy system installation and thermal insulation-providing hands-on experience at construction sites. This opens pathways for them to work with established companies or launch their own businesses, capitalizing on the growing market for climate-resilient construction.
He highlighted that the project’s scope extends beyond retrofitting 75 homes; these houses serve as practical models demonstrating the feasibility of energy-efficiency solutions and the willingness of households to invest in home improvements when reliable solutions and incentives are available. They also showcase the capability of Iraqi companies and professionals to execute such projects to high technical standards.
He explained that research conducted in Baghdad and Basra demonstrated that improving insulation, roofing, and building envelopes can significantly reduce cooling requirements, noting that certain models and designs studied in Iraq achieved a reduction in cooling needs of nearly 50%. The international representative emphasized that the primary challenge lies in scaling up these solutions and transforming them into affordable products and services-provided by Iraqi companies and professionals, locally available, and trusted by households. He emphasized that the competition reflects the presence of Iraqi talent capable of developing practical solutions tailored to the country’s needs, noting the importance of partnerships-involving the European Union, government institutions, universities, the engineering community, the private sector, trainers, and experts-in transforming these ideas into practical applications.