The construction of new housing in Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, Novovolynsk, and Ternopil, as well as the reconstruction of a medical facility in the local community of Nemishaieve, Kyiv region, will begin in the spring of 2024 as part of the EU programme “Housing for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Rehabilitation of Liberated Cities in Ukraine, Component II”. In total, housing for 1,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) will be built for 35.5 million euros, told Julia Shevchuk, Chief Investment Advisor at the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco) to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

Shevchuk reminded that, in response to more than 6.35 million Ukrainians leaving the country and a third of the population having to flee their home during the war, the European Union initiated an action to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) through grant funding for the construction of new, sustainable housing.

The project “Housing for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Rehabilitation of Liberated Cities in Ukraine” is funded by the European Union and managed by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco).

“During 2023, the projects were identified and agreed upon, the project proposals were evaluated to determine the scope of work, and the first stage of procurement was completed,” said Julia Shevchuk,

The programme is divided into two components and covers a total of 11 municipalities in western and central Ukraine. Both components work with different cities and involve the renovation and reconstruction of existing municipal buildings and the construction of new housing.

Component II includes the cities of Ivano-Frankivsk , Khmelnytskyi, NovovolynskTernopil,  and Nemishaieve.  In the first four cities housing with a total area of almost 25,000 m2 will be built to accommodate at least 1,800 people who were left without their homes and possess the official status of IDPs in the above-mentioned cities. Planned investments constitute 7.1 million euros in Novovolynsk, 8.4 million euros in Khmelnytskyi, and 9.5 million euros each in Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil.

The task of the selection and registration of land plots in compliance with Ukrainian legislation and the connection to utilities was entrusted to the governing bodies of the respective cities. Nefco reported that, as of the end of 2023, all cities have finished this task, and the preliminary preparation of land plots for construction is currently underway.

For Component II, a single project design organisation was engaged to develop a unified concept of housing and project estimates for all four cities. During the summer of 2023, a tender was held and the contractor for this work was identified, a joint consortium between the companies “ARS Longa” and “Balbek Bureau” based in Kyiv.

“It is planned to build sectional multi-apartment buildings of various numbers of floors from scratch. The buildings will be equipped with everything necessary: fire alarms, intercoms, elevators, and a centralised hot water supply system. Where necessary, renewable energy sources will also be installed,” said Petro Halabitskyi, Project Manager at iC consulenten (the project implementation consultant), in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine.

The construction involves a comprehensive approach to housing, including interior finishing in common areas and apartments using high-quality materials (for the walls, floors, ceilings, and bathrooms) and equipping the apartments with the necessary furniture, household appliances, and bed linen.

Andriy Katashov, Technical Adviser at Nefco, emphasised that the programme, besides the social component, also includes a “green recovery” component, which means the implementation of energy-efficient technologies and increased requirements for the buildings' energy consumption indicators.

“The designers are tasked with reducing future energy costs in housing by at least 10% compared to the regulatory threshold established by current Ukrainian regulations for this type of buildings. Furthermore, future residential complexes will include the installation of rooftop solar power panels, both to reduce current electricity costs and to provide emergency electricity supply during possible power outages,” Katashov stated.

The requirements of inclusivity and access for people with limited mobility were also taken into account.

“Approximately 12% of apartments in each city will be inclusive, that is, they will accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. The doors will be widened, and the bathroom will be equipped with special handrails. What's more, all these measures are already planned at the design stage,” Halabitskyi emphasised.

The general entrance to the buildings must be equipped with a ramp or a lift. The latest changes to construction norms regarding safety have also been reflected in the scope of work, so all buildings will have modern and equipped bomb shelters.

Nefco employees stated that the design organisation, besides performing all technical tasks, has managed to design the buildings and surrounding areas in line with modern aesthetic approaches. In the autumn of 2023, the first stage of procurement to find contractors was held. At this stage, a list of construction companies for pre-qualification was compiled. The tender announcement was posted on the official web pages of Nefco and the respective cities, as well as on the information platform of the Prozorro system. The specialised associations were also involved in the dissemination of information. In accordance with Article 6 of the Framework Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and Nefco, the international financial institution has the right to apply its own current rules and principles regarding tenders or other competitive procedures for the procurement of goods, works, and services in the projects, so the open tender is conducted in accordance with the procurement rules of Nefco.

As a result of the first stage of the tender, a list of companies that met the qualification requirements was compiled, and they were admitted to the second round of procurement.

Shevchuk explained that the second tender stage for the city of Novovolynsk was started in late December 2023, and the rest of the cities are expected to conduct the second stage in January–February 2024. Accordingly, construction work is expected to begin in spring 2024 in all four communities.

With the participation of CFI, Agence française de développement médias, as part of the Hub Bucharest / Residency Yak Vdoma Project