Category: News room

Cairo, 28^th, March, 2022

Within the activities of the 2nd phase of the Mitigation Enabling Energy Transition in the Mediterranean region (meetMED II) project, funded by the European Union, the first edition of MEETMED Week takes place on March 28^th to 31^st, 2022, in Cairo, Egypt.

More than 14 organizations and 100 energy experts representing several countries from the Euro-Mediterranean region are attending it.

MEETMED Week 2022—the first in a series of annual regional energy conferences is organized by MEDENER and RCREEE under the European Union support —is marking this year’s edition with the theme ” Together Towards Efficient Buildings and Appliances in the Mediterranean.”

Through its four sub-themes: Sustainable Energy Investment, Concerted Actions on Buildings, Concerted Actions on Appliances, and Monitoring Energy Efficiency, MMW 2022 will tackle fostering the regional cooperation for energy and climate transition in Southern Eastern Mediterranean Countries.

MMW 2022 is a hybrid of virtual conversations and in-person events in Cairo. Among the unique plenary sessions and high-level dialogues offered throughout the week, policymakers, academia, diplomats, UN agencies, financial institutions, representatives of regional organizations, energy experts from the public and private institutions, and the media are gathered to exchange experiences, share best practices and identify areas for potential partnerships and cooperation.

MeetMED II activities aims at strengthening the implementation of EE measures and improving countries’ energy mix focusing on building and appliances’ sectors through a multiscale, multi- partner, and inclusive approach at local and regional levels, thereby fostering regional cooperation.

Notably, the design and implementation of the MEETMED second phase are entrusted to MEDENER, which is an international no-profit organization gathering agencies from North and South of the Mediterranean region in charge of implementing public policies on energy efficiency and promotion of renewable energy sources; and to the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), which is an intergovernmental organization aiming to enable and increase the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency practices in the Arab region. The project is funded by the European Commission.

For more information, please contact:
Ms. Asmaa AHMED
meetMED II Communication Manager
Email: asmaa.ahmed@rcreee.org

Aiming to implement a common regional energy observatory database on energy efficiency (EE) indicators, ADEME in cooperation with RCREEE organized “Regional consultation workshop:  Monitoring Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Appliances in Mediterranean” on December 14, 2021.

The event brings together experts from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Libya to gather feedbacks on monitoring EE strategies and policies and the state of play in their countries. Additionally, the workshop will set the basis of launching 4 technical working groups on Energy efficiency indicators implementation, Energy demand modelling and prospective tools, NEEAPs and national strategies implementation, and Specific Energy Efficiency indicators in buildings and appliances. The workshop outcomes is one of the main cornerstone of meetMED II target set to support policy/decision makers on monitoring and evaluation (with a focus on buildings and appliances).

Following the success of its first phase (MEETMED I, from 2018-2020), EU-Funded project meetMED commences its second phase aiming to enhance the energy security of beneficiary countries (namely Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia) while fostering their transition to low carbon economy. Accordingly, meetMED II will be contributing to the creation of more stable, efficient, competitive, and climate-resilient socioeconomic contexts in the targeted countries.

Notably, the design and implementation of the MEETMED second phase are entrusted to MEDENER, which is an international no-profit organization gathering agencies from North and South of the Mediterranean region in charge of implementing public policies on energy efficiency and promotion of renewable energy sources; and to the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), which is an intergovernmental organization aiming to enable and increase the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency practices in the Arab region. The project is funded by the European Commission.

Aiming to promote energy efficiency measures in buildings through capacity building, tools adjustment and awareness raising campaigns, meetMED II organized two hybrid technical meetings on October 13, 2021.  Organized by ADEME and hosted by INES-Solaire in France, the events welcomed attendees and experts and allowed online attendance.

The day started with “ Technical meeting on improving energy efficiency and thermal comfort in public buildings”. The meeting discussed mainly the preliminary results of “Improving Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort in Cities and Buildings” report. These results are the first steps to develop and implement a set of tools and trainings for implementing energy audits in municipalities, and provide guidance for energy management in buildings.

The discussion built upon the results of meetMED experts 1st technical meeting held on September 2, 2021. The agenda covered a number of topics including:

• General Overview on key elements of a comprehensive national framework to promote thermal comfort and energy efficiency in (public) buildings
• Regulatory frameworks supporting thermal comfort and energy efficiency in buildings
• Financial and regulatory incentives to promote thermal comfort and energy efficiency in buildings

Later on october 13, 2021, “Technical meeting on Regional platform for training and provisional certification of sustainable buildings GRASSMED Green BOOCC” took place to facilitate the development of a regional platform for training and provisional certification of sustainable buildings under meetMED II.

Notably, GRASSMED Green BOOCC (Green Building Open Online Courses and Certification) will integrate all energy efficiency and environmental protection measures, and represents a new approach for rating and labelling green buildings in the Mediterranean region with focus on a number of meetMED II beneficiary countries. Eventually,  GRASSMED Green BOOCC  tool aims mainly at verifying and validating building’s performance and environmental quality of construction.

During the technical meeting, attendees discussed mainly the action plan to develop and launch GRASSMED Green BOOCC.

Under meetMED II Activities we are inviting experts and organizations working actively in meetMED beneficiaries’ countries (namely Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia) to fill in our stakeholder’s network forms and support strengthening and implementation of energy efficiency measures in building and appliances sectors.

Answers will used in drafting meetMED II engagement plan to map relevant public and private stakeholders in beneficiaries’ countries to be involved in a number of meetMED activities aiming to enhance the development and adoption of policy measures, to improve the harmonization and monitoring of legislations, regulations and standards in Buildings and Appliances sectors & foster exchanges of information and experiences between Northern and the Southern Countries partners.

In its second Phase, meetMED strives to avail training materials on various topics for broader sector of academia, public and private sector professionals and consultants.

Under promotion of energy efficiency in buildings activities, ADEME in cooperation with ADENE and AMEE launched an online technical coordination meeting on September 8, 2021.

The meeting discussed the action plan and activities needed to disseminate training materials developed under meetMED II more broadly via tools, guidelines in addition to relevant capacity building programs required to ensure the success of material’s dissemination.

Through its various activities and based on the Regional Expert Network (REN) set in phase I, meetMED II aims to contribute to harmonizing strategies and policies on energy efficiency (EE) in appliances in the region, while strengthening regional cooperation. Under this theme, RCREEE in cooperation with Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) organized an “Online Working Session on energy efficiency measures for appliances” on November 4, 2021.

During the event, meetMED II team presented the main activities planned to promote the market of efficient appliances and to boost the demand for energy efficient equipment through a better visibility for grand public and private sector operators. Additionally, the team presented the main activities and action plan adopted by meetMED II to improve the harmonization and monitoring of legislations, regulations and standards in appliances sector through fostering exchanges of information and experience between Northern and the Southern Countries partners.

The session was attended by more than 30 key stakeholders and development partners from southern and eastern Mediterranean countries. Participants discussed possible synergies, challenges and priorities to mobilize efforts & enrich the project’s implementation plan.

Following the work implemented in first phase of the meetMED (2018-2020), meetMED II is catalyzing regional expertise and knowledge to facilitate dialogue between banks, financial partners, institutions, public and private operators, and improve the visibility of existing funds. Accordingly, the secretariat will be able to propose innovative mechanisms for funding projects in the fields of buildings and appliances and assist project holders to get access to finance with a focus on public buildings, tertiary and industrial sectors.

Under this theme, RCREEE in cooperation with Agence Nationale pour la Maîtrise de l’ Energie (ANME) and Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) organized an online meeting tackling “Access to Finance” organized an online session on “Access to Finance” on November 2, 2021. MeetMED II team presented an overview of the activities planned to facilitate access to finance in meetMED beneficiaries countries. In addition, representatives from the Southern Eastern Mediterranean region presented a number of case studies including Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Greece, Spain and Italy. Speakers focused mainly on the national context and current financial initiatives in their countries and challenges facing access to finance for energy efficiency in buildings and appliances.

Through its various activities and based on the Regional Expert Network (REN) set in phase I, meetMED II aims to contribute to harmonizing strategies and policies on energy efficiency (EE) in building sector in the region, while strengthening regional cooperation. Under this theme, meetMED II organized an online working session on energy efficiency measures in building sector on November 9, 2021.

The event aimed to present the activities addressed to enhance the development, adaptation and replication of energy efficiency measures in the building sector, starting from the experiences, good practices until pilot projects proposal.  Energy efficiency key strategies and policies in building sector will be presented as well along with the main activities planned to improve the harmonization and monitoring of legislations, regulations and standards in buildings sector during the project.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders and development partners to present meetMED II objectives expected outcomes. It will identify possible synergies, challenges and priorities and mobilize efforts to enrich the project’s implementation plan.

This event is by invitations only