AKIPRESS.COM - Air pollution is causing various diseases and worsening each year in Mongolia. The SOAP II project, funded by the European Union's SWITCH-Asia program, is being implemented to prevent air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, Montsame reports.

The SOAP II project aims to reduce air pollution in Ulaanbaatar city by insulating detached houses. It is being implemented in two phases, from 2018 to 2026. The SOAP project has helped households avoid 3,556 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and 2,411 fuel consumption in five years.

Insulating a house has the advantages of reducing indoor temperature fluctuations and maintaining a stable temperature. It also simplifies labor related to stove firing and creates more comfort as there is no need to fire multiple times a day.

The SOAP project is now in its second phase, with a focus on Ulaanbaatar city. A replication pilot project is underway in a selected province to extend the project's impact and share its successful practices, capturing the experience in provincial areas.

Darkhan-Uul, the central region's development center, was chosen after evaluating 13 qualitative and quantitative criteria, including the province capital's air pollution level, operational feasibility, and economic capacity.

A field visit was conducted in Darkhan-Uul for the pilot replication on March 21-22. Representatives from the project and the financier participated in the visit. During the visit, the team met with the Deputy Governor of the province, Javkhlan B., the Urban Replanning Department, and the Nairamdal Project Team funded by the European Union, and also visited the energy-efficient demo house and other complementary projects implemented in the province.

"With the implementation of the project in Darkhan-Uul province, residents of Darkhan with detached houses will have the opportunity to be provided with standard insulation services from the brigades trained under the project. As part of the SOAP II project, roof, wall, foundation, floor, and full insulation products were developed, brigades are trained to perform insulation work, and we are working to increase the availability of green loan products from partner financial institutions," leader of the cooperation section team of Delegation of the European Union to Mongolia Adrien Mourgues said.

The SOAP II project also plans to organize public awareness campaigns on the importance of insulation, increase awareness of energy efficiency, and increase engagement of the general public in reducing air pollution.