Amman, Jan. 29 (Petra) -- The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on Thursday convened the steering committee meeting for the "Promoting Zero-Energy Houses and Buildings in Jordan" project, implemented in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in presence of representatives of partner entities.
Talking at the discussions, Secretary General of the Ministry Amani Azzam underscored the importance of the ongoing joint partnership with the agency, commending JICA’s technical support for national projects in energy efficiency and climate action, which reflects a shared commitment to achieving sustainable development and energy security.
Azzam noted the buildings sector is a "key and promising" acitivity to lower energy consumption and carbon emissions, adding that the shift toward zero-energy buildings in Jordan is an "environmental priority and a strategic" economic and social objective aligned with national energy and climate policies.
She stated the project integrates a comprehensive approach that goes beyond technical solutions to cover development of regulatory and legislative frameworks and supportive policies to ensure the "long-term" adoption of zero-energy buildings.
Azzam highlighted the need for innovative and practical financing windows to turn policies into bankable projects by mobilizing public and private funding, reducing investment risks, and providing attractive financial mechanisms to accelerate implementation and encouraging private-sector engagement.
For his part, Chief Representative of JICA Office in Jordan Morihata Shingo called for strengthening cooperation with the ministry on the zero-energy houses and buildings project in the coming years, adding that JICA will maintain its technical support in energy efficiency and climate action initiatives.
Project Director Ola Sarhan said the project aims to conduct technical and economic studies for introducing Zero Energy Buildings and Houses (ZEB/ZEH), develop supportive financial incentive mechanisms, and draft policies and regulations to promote clean energy technologies, in line with national sustainable energy plans such as NEEAP IV.
During the meeting, the ministry and JICA teams presented working papers on a thorough project assessment, next year’s action plan, implemented activities, and recommendations.
//Petra// NQ
