For the developmet of nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAS): A primer on Energy Efficient Buildings in Tropical and Subtropical Climates

This Guidebook aims to be a practical resource for governments (ministries of energy, environment, housing, climate change, finance, planning and others), private sector investors and civil society organizations by illustrating how to create a NAMA for energy efficient buildings based on a country-led national strategy, possibly articulated as a Nationally Determined Contribution.

Some countries may already have developed a strategy for energy efficient buildings or may be in the process of developing one, such as Singapore's Green Mark initiative or Mexico's NAMA on Sustainable Housing, 'EcoCasa'. Other countries may have an interest in formulating a NAMA as the concrete implementation model for such an NDC, indicating how the country will turn the NDC into practice.

And still others may wish to develop a NAMA without having developed an NDC or a sector-wide strategy first. No matter the point of departure, articulating a NAMA requires communication with stakeholders, including citizens, the private sector, and national and international financiers. This guidebook is divided into five main sections: an introduction to NAMAs; an Overview of Technologies and Possible Intervention Areas, the Structuring of NAMAs for Energy Efficient Buildings; Measuring, Reporting and Verifying NAMAs; and Financing for NAMAs.

The latter four may be regarded as the fundamental building blocks for NAMA development. Throughout the text the main messages are illustrated by the example of Singapore's recently introduced policy for energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings.