Yerevan turns existing infrastructure into a base for its energy transition

Aneta Babayan, Director of Yerevan’s Urban Development Agency, discussed how the Armenian capital is renovating public buildings, modernising its metro and rolling out electric buses, in an episode of City Stories published by Energy Cities on 13 August 2026.

Armenia was part of the Soviet Union until 1991. Babayan said that legacy left Yerevan, a Covenant of Mayors signatory and a home to more than a million people, with a metro system, a broad public service network and a strong engineering culture, alongside a large stock of ageing, energy-intensive buildings. After the city’s centralised heating system collapsed in the 1990s, most buildings switched to individual gas or electric heating, which made coordinated renovation harder.

A new city law now lets Yerevan negotiate financing and project agreements directly, rather than relying solely on national government support, Babayan said, giving the city more control over how it plans and funds its transition.

“Beyond money and finance, technology, know-how, knowledge and institutions, capabilities and culture and behaviour matter a lot,” Babayan said, describing what she has learned from working with the Covenant of Mayors network.

The city’s largest renovation programme, backed by EU and international financing, is upgrading public buildings for seismic safety and energy efficiency. Its first phase is complete: 47 public buildings, including kindergartens, now have solar panels, new water heating systems, modern boilers and efficient lighting. A second phase will renovate 32 more kindergartens and six healthcare centres, and could cut carbon emissions by up to 3.300 tonnes a year.

Yerevan is also modernising its metro, which has not been upgraded since Soviet times. Three projects are underway to build new stations and replace the metro’s rolling stock, with construction due to start next year and delivery expected within four to five years. The city is introducing electric buses, charging points and dedicated public transport lanes alongside the metro works.

Babayan said public reaction has been positive, pointing to the growing number of households and buildings switching to solar energy. Looking ten years ahead, she said: “I’m sure that we will see more happy people living in Yerevan and considering Yerevan the best city in the world.”