Anastasiia Vereshchynska, CEO of the European-Ukrainian Energy Agency (EUEA), participated in the Smarter4EU Better Homes 2024 conference, which took place last week in Dublin. Organized by the Smarter Finance for EU consortium, of which EUEA is a member, the event brought together experts from across the European Union to discuss key issues in the development of green housing.
This year’s conference focused on the interconnected challenges of the housing crisis, the climate emergency, and Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. Energy poverty and the need for financial support in rebuilding efforts emerged as central themes. Iva Merghaim-Ayr, Head of Energy Poverty at Smarter Finance for EU, emphasized that even in a post-war context, green housing can be made accessible through hybrid financing — a combination of public and private investments.
Special attention was given to the role of green homes in Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Alongside Anastasiia Vereshchynska, a delegation from Ukraine — including Volodymyr Smolii from the Association of Energy-Efficient Cities of Ukraine and representatives from communities in Vinnytsia, Kovel, Mykolaiv, and Rivne — visited a housing complex in Dublin. This social housing project, certified under the Home Performance Index by the Irish Green Building Council, demonstrated how green standards can be successfully integrated into affordable housing.
The conference also announced the establishment of a European Center of Excellence to promote green housing certification and investment, a key initiative of the Smarter Finance for EU program. Roundtable discussions focused on overcoming barriers to achieving green, healthy, and affordable housing. Participants explored hybrid financial solutions that combine private and public investments, which could play a pivotal role in attracting funding — particularly for Ukraine, as it faces large-scale reconstruction challenges.
The Smarter4EU Better Homes 2024 conference reaffirmed that green construction is a strategically important direction for sustainable development and the fight against energy poverty.
The EUEA remains a key partner in advancing green energy investments and reconstruction in Ukraine, supporting the integration of Ukrainian initiatives into the broader European context.
