particularly important during the winter when incomes are at the lowest and goods
prices like food or gas for cooking are at the highest. According to GERES survey,
15 % of households contract debts partly or totally to purchase fuel and 48 % of the
household report difficulties to meet their energy needs. Thermal comfort during
winter months remains very problematic as the current levels of indoor temperature
do not reach the WHO recommended threshold of 18
C minimum service level.
In order to improve the thermal comfort during the winters while contributing to
climate change mitigation, GERES – Group for the Environment, Renewable
Energy and Solidarity, French NGO working in Afghanistan since 2002, has
developed and transferred to local entrepreneurs the Passive Solar Housing technology. Passive Solar Housing construction design rely on collecting, storing and
distributing solar energy during the winter without any mechanical or electrical
equipment. The GERES housing innovation is comprised of a veranda with a
wooden frame and plastic sheeting added to the south-facing part of the house.
The air inside the veranda is heated during the day by the sun’s radiation. By
keeping an enlarged window open between the veranda and the house, the warm air
is transmitted to the room. At night, the window is closed and curtains are drawn in
order to keep the heat inside the room. In addition, the veranda also provide an extra
warm room during the day for housework and social events for a very affordable
cost (Fig. 10.1).
In 2012, GERES started a 3 year project with funding from the Agence
Franc ¸aise de De ´veloppement (AFD) and Fondation Abbe ´ Pierre to support local
artisans for the wide dissemination of PSH in Kabul. During the winter 2012–2013,
a Socio-Economic Assessment of Domestic Energy Practices (SEADEP) survey
was conducted to assess the socio-economic and energy consumption profile of
households of Kabul. During the following winter, between 2013 and 2014, a
monitoring campaign was conducted in Kabul, with the objective of assessing the
impacts of PSH technologies on livelihoods and GHG emissions. Two groups of
houses each (non-PSH and PSH) were monitored during 8 weeks, indoor and
outdoor temperatures were measured using data loggers and fuel consumptions
were recorded daily.
Using these data, the impact of the PSH technology in terms of indoor temperature and energy consumption has been assessed to determine the energy efficiency
of the PSH compare to the non PSH. Then, using the suppressed demand approach a
regression model has been built to assess the GHG emissions that would have
occurred if the same indoor temperature was reached using technologies in non
PSH. This case study illustrate the importance as well as the limitations of applying
the suppressed demand in the housing sector in LDC.
10.2.1 Sampling and Data Collection
The houses selected for the study are located in three police districts in the southern
part of Kabul and spread from central part of the city to its outskirts, including semi174
Y. Franc ¸ois and M. Gavald~ ao
prices like food or gas for cooking are at the highest. According to GERES survey,
15 % of households contract debts partly or totally to purchase fuel and 48 % of the
household report difficulties to meet their energy needs. Thermal comfort during
winter months remains very problematic as the current levels of indoor temperature
do not reach the WHO recommended threshold of 18
C minimum service level.
In order to improve the thermal comfort during the winters while contributing to
climate change mitigation, GERES – Group for the Environment, Renewable
Energy and Solidarity, French NGO working in Afghanistan since 2002, has
developed and transferred to local entrepreneurs the Passive Solar Housing technology. Passive Solar Housing construction design rely on collecting, storing and
distributing solar energy during the winter without any mechanical or electrical
equipment. The GERES housing innovation is comprised of a veranda with a
wooden frame and plastic sheeting added to the south-facing part of the house.
The air inside the veranda is heated during the day by the sun’s radiation. By
keeping an enlarged window open between the veranda and the house, the warm air
is transmitted to the room. At night, the window is closed and curtains are drawn in
order to keep the heat inside the room. In addition, the veranda also provide an extra
warm room during the day for housework and social events for a very affordable
cost (Fig. 10.1).
In 2012, GERES started a 3 year project with funding from the Agence
Franc ¸aise de De ´veloppement (AFD) and Fondation Abbe ´ Pierre to support local
artisans for the wide dissemination of PSH in Kabul. During the winter 2012–2013,
a Socio-Economic Assessment of Domestic Energy Practices (SEADEP) survey
was conducted to assess the socio-economic and energy consumption profile of
households of Kabul. During the following winter, between 2013 and 2014, a
monitoring campaign was conducted in Kabul, with the objective of assessing the
impacts of PSH technologies on livelihoods and GHG emissions. Two groups of
houses each (non-PSH and PSH) were monitored during 8 weeks, indoor and
outdoor temperatures were measured using data loggers and fuel consumptions
were recorded daily.
Using these data, the impact of the PSH technology in terms of indoor temperature and energy consumption has been assessed to determine the energy efficiency
of the PSH compare to the non PSH. Then, using the suppressed demand approach a
regression model has been built to assess the GHG emissions that would have
occurred if the same indoor temperature was reached using technologies in non
PSH. This case study illustrate the importance as well as the limitations of applying
the suppressed demand in the housing sector in LDC.
10.2.1 Sampling and Data Collection
The houses selected for the study are located in three police districts in the southern
part of Kabul and spread from central part of the city to its outskirts, including semi174
Y. Franc ¸ois and M. Gavald~ ao