SECO in recent years made a strategic shift to end direct infrastructure financing except for innovative pilot projects, and to focus on technical assistance and institutional and capacity development to make best use of its grant funding modality. The additional the massive drop of variable RE (VRE) generation costs and the focus on VRE integration as key for energy transition have led SECO to refocus its support and start the development of new bilateral projects on smart grid and smart metering. SECO mandated the Consortium of Skat Consulting Ltd. and Energynautics GmbH for professional support for this shift.

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO

Energynautics GmbH

HEKS/EPER provides urgent humanitarian assistance to people living close to the front-line of conflict in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv Oblasts. SKAT supported HEKS/EPER with funding proposal development addressing light and medium repairs of conflict-damaged housing.

Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER)

Concrete Reuse for Reconstruction supports reclamation precast concrete panels from damaged housing in Ukraine in order to reuse the panels in new housing and infrastructure reconstruction. Techniques for reclamation and reuse of concrete panels are well-developed in Switzerland and other European countries. The project adapts these technologies to Ukrainian conditions, developing locally-relevant deconstruction and reuse processes including the required skills and official procedures.

Tech4Dev, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Structural Xploration Lab (SXL), EPFL, Ukraine Waste Recycling Association (UAWRA)

Hilti Foundation supports affordable housing through a range of projects in Southeast Asia and Latin America aimed at improving the quality and sustainability of housing construction through new technologies and skills development. SKAT supported Hilti Foundation in a review of its Affordable Housing and Technology program to identify opportunities for targeted support for sustainable construction globally.

Hilti Foundation

Preparation of Master Plans for Zero Waste Management in five Gyalsung training academies

Gyalsung Infra, Bhutan

By upgrading building emission standards, supporting demonstration buildings and enhancing capacities of professionals with Switzerland’s leading know-how on sustainable construction, the project supports the decarbonization of China’s building sector, which is the biggest in the world.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Intep as project implementing partner, Swiss Green Buildings Association (SGB), China Academy of Building Research (CABR/CABEE), empa , HSLU, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) are cooperating with the Government of Moldova to support the population in rural areas and small towns. Skat was mandated to implement the Swiss and Austrian support, the Water and Sanitation Project ApaSan for improving the life conditions of people living in villages by improving their access to water and sanitation services that are sustainable and of good quality. ApaSan supported Moldovan institutions at all levels so that they are able to respond to the needs for water supply and sanitation services of the rural population, including the most vulnerable. In the final phase, the project aimed at empowering and strengthening the capacities by transferring know-how on rural water supply and sanitation generated in previous phases to Moldovan institutions, and to institutionalise functions that ApaSan has fulfilled so far in the implementation of sustainable water and sanitation projects, so that these institutions are able to improve their performance in responding to the needs of the rural population for water supply and sanitation services. Community mobilization, public awareness raising and communication on water scarcity, water use, sanitation and hygiene, tailored to enhance citizen participation were a central part of the approach.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Apart from the reconstruction project in the delta, SDC-HA concentrates its activities to the eastern part of Myanmar, in particular Northern Shan State (Kokang), Kayah and Mon States. For the Southeast, UNHCR recently requested to SDC-HA the secondment of an expert covering both, technical expertise and protection issues. UNHCR’s assessment and NATALA’s request indicate an enormous need for sustaniable and good quality rural infrastructure in the region. Schools and water supplies are the two key demands mentioned by everyone acquainted on the ground. SDC-HA and NRC decided to support UNHCR’s work and started in order to initiate activities on the ground by early 2011.

SDC Humanitarian Aid

Under the mandate of SDC, Skat contributed to the introduction of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly brick production technology to the Nepali brick sector.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

To contribute to the mitigation of global warming and environmental degradation by reducing greenhouse gases and carbon emission while fostering sustainable (economic, environmental, social) production leading to economic prosperity, as well as poverty reduction in Nepal, while networking and reaching out into surrounding areas in South Asia.

European Commission, SWITCH Asia Programme

Deutsch Management Akademie, Niedersachsen, Germany

Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries, Kathmandu, Nepal