ADB okays $1mn grant to build energy-efficient CAC systems in DMCs

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $1 million support to build disease-resistant centralized air-conditioning (CAC) systems in developing member countries (DMCs).
This will help improve energy efficiency and mitigate the risks of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and other airborne viruses in public buildings.
“While the threat of climate change has been clear for some time, humanity has also had to confront a once-in-a-century pandemic this year,” said ADB Energy Sector Group Chief Yongping Zhai. “Improving resilience to diseases and mitigating climate change are priorities for our developing members. This project will help address both health- and climate-related concerns associated with air-conditioning systems in public buildings and help to make cities more livable.”
The project will also improve knowledge and build capacity among ADB’s developing members on energy efficiency and virus transmission risk of CACs in typical public buildings, and pilot smart digital technologies in CACs in selected developing members.
The project will be financed by the High-Level Technology Fund and the Clean Energy Fund under the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility, both of which will each provide a $500,000 grant. The project complements ADB’s $20 billion assistance announced on 13 April to help its developing members manage the COVID-19 pandemic and the bank’s climate change mitigation programs.
ADB is targeting $80 billion in cumulative climate financing from its own resources by 2030 and for at least 75% of its country operations to feature climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives. – TLTP