PEEB: a tool for transforming the building sector

PEEB was established jointly by the French and German governments and is implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). With additional financing from the Green Climate Fund and the European Union, PEEB has evolved into a multi-programme global partnership. 

Objectives

The Partnership adopts a proactive approach to support public authorities and project owners in both new construction and renovation. Its main objectives are to:

• Accelerate reforms in national regulatory frameworks
• Share best practices in energy efficiency
• Stimulate investment in energy-efficient buildings

PEEB provides expertise across a wide range of building types — including social housing, schools, universities, hospitals, public buildings, heritage sites, offices, and industrial facilities — and offers rapid access to services such as energy audits, carbon footprint assessments, project management support, and climate-risk analyses.

• Technical and Policy Support
  PEEB helps partner countries strengthen public policies and regulatory frameworks on energy efficiency in buildings, while promoting capacity building for professionals in both the public and private sectors.
• Financing Solutions
  The Partnership mobilizes innovative financing to encourage stakeholders to build or renovate in ways that reduce energy consumption, improve comfort, and align with environmental goals.

Partner countries

Initially active in five countries — Mexico, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, and Vietnam — PEEB now works with partners in around 30 countries worldwide.

Further reading : Charting the path to decarbonization and resilience - Insights from the development banks workshop for the buildings sector

Transforming buildings by combining technical assistance and financial support

PEEB Cool aims to support countries in transforming their building and construction sectors by promoting the design, construction, and operation of energy-efficient and climate-resilient buildings.

PEEB Cool is implemented with financing from the Green Climate Fund, AFD, the French Facility for Global Environment, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The programme combines two complementary types of support — technical and financial assistance, as well as institutional support — to scale up ambitious energy efficiency and resilience projects and enable long-lasting transformation of the building sector.

Financing

• €176 million in concessional loans
• €44 million in technical assistance

Partner countries

This programme combines technical assistance and financial support in 11 countries across four continents: Albania, Argentina, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia.

See also the press release: PEEB Cool kicks off to boost energy-efficient, climate-resilient buildings in 11 countries

PEEB Cool promotes and supports the development of passive construction approaches, the use of local eco-materials, and climate-responsive architecture to enhance the natural cooling of buildings. It also strengthens countries’ resilience to extreme weather events, energy shortages, and economic shocks.

For a sustainable transformation of the building sector in the mediterranean region

Mediterranean countries are particularly exposed to rising temperatures, making it essential to adapt buildings and reduce the impacts of climate change on populations. PEEB Med supports seven countries on the southern shores of the Mediterranean in transforming their building and construction sectors.

Objectives

PEEB Med contributes to the sustainable transformation of the building sector through two key levers:

• Strengthening regulations on public procurement
• Building capacity among professionals in the construction sector

Co-financed by the European Union, this programme supports local stakeholders in raising awareness and developing sustainable expertise at both national and regional levels. It also helps prepare concrete investments and facilitates experience-sharing among Mediterranean countries.

Partner countries

Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia.

Further reading : Building for Health  - PEEB Med’s support to healthcare infrastructure

PEEB Med combines technical assistance and investment grants to help cover the additional costs of energy-efficiency measures. Its objective is to reduce costs and perceived investment risks, thereby encouraging stakeholders to build and invest in energy-efficient buildings.

PEEB Med provides technical assistance to support eligible construction and renovation projects throughout their design and implementation phases. It also delivers capacity-building activities for project stakeholders.

Investment grants then facilitate the implementation of energy-efficiency measures by partially covering the additional costs they generate. The grant level depends on the targeted energy performance of the building.

The programme fosters synergies and knowledge-sharing with the Mitigation Enabling Energy Transition in the Mediterranean Region (meetMED II) project, which is also supported by the European Union in the same countries.

A partnership for sustainable buildings in Southeast Asia

In 2020, buildings accounted for 23% of total energy consumption in ASEAN countries. Without improvements in energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy, building energy consumption in the region is expected to rise by around 60% by 2030 and 120% by 2040.

Objectives

PEEB ASEAN supports partner countries in transforming the building sector, with the objective of reducing energy intensity in ASEAN countries by 32% by 2025 and contributing to the achievement of net-zero emissions targets.

Partner countries

Implemented through the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), the programme benefits 10 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Financing 

AFD has provided €5 million in financing for PEEB ASEAN, including:

• A €2 million grant to finance institutional support activities implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Energy
• A €1.5 million technical assistance facility for project preparation
• A €1.5 million investment grant for projects financed by the AFD Group and its partners

Institutional support

This component is implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Energy and aims to create a framework that encourages energy efficiency in buildings across the region. It operates through four main actions:

• Providing recommendations to promote changes in public policies and regulatory frameworks
• Developing a regional digital hub to share information and raise awareness among energy stakeholders
• Delivering capacity-building activities for high-level political decision-makers on energy efficiency in buildings
• Implementing tailor-made activities based on each country’s needs identified during feasibility studies

Investment grant and technical assistance

PEEB ASEAN supports projects at every stage, including feasibility studies, architectural design, construction supervision, and impact assessment. These projects are carried out by the AFD Group (AFD, Proparco, Expertise France) or by its partners, in synergy with PEEB’s objectives.

The programme mobilizes international technical experts to strengthen the capacities of partners in designing and implementing high-performance building projects in terms of energy and environmental impact. It can provide investment grants to supplement financing from AFD or Proparco, helping ensure that energy performance and bioclimatic design are integrated into projects and effectively implemented.

Further reading: PEEB Asean grant signed

A technical assistance facility financed with resources from the Overseas Fund

In the French Overseas territories, which face particular climate challenges, AFD and ADEME have launched a PEEB variant to support stakeholders in the construction sector. PEEB Overseas France targets municipalities, administrative groups of municipalities with shared powers and their own tax authority (EPCIs), Overseas France communities with special status, associations, local public companies (Sem, Spl, or SemOp), public institutions (such as schools and libraries), and State services.

Objectives

PEEB Overseas provides engineering and technical support to public contracting authorities as well as AFD and ADEME engineers. Its goal is to improve the energy and environmental performance of building construction and renovation projects.

Since 2022, the programme has supported the French Overseas Territories with a budget of €3 million, approving 41 support projects for local authorities, associations, and public facilities, including hospitals and schools, in regions such as Guadeloupe, Réunion, and French Polynesia. Of these, 21 projects have already been completed, demonstrating the concrete and sustainable impact of the programme. One example is the Réunion University Hospital Center.

Previous financing rounds included nearly 36 approved applications with a budget of €1.7 million, supporting municipalities and communities in Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana, non-profits in the medico-social sector in French Polynesia, and hospitals in Mayotte and Réunion. This financing is expected to be renewed in May 2024.

Technical and project support

PEEB provides financing and rapidly mobilizes technical expertise across a wide range of services, tailored to the stage of the project and the needs of project owners. These services include:

• Energy assessments and audits (following ADEME methodologies)
• Dynamic thermal simulations
• Carbon footprint assessments
• Integration of energy and environmental requirements into tender documents
• Revision of project plans
• Costing of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures
• Support for building certification
• Environmental, social, and gender studies
• Seismic, cyclonic, and flood risk analyses
• Training courses and workshops for building professionals