Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 26 – Impact Evaluation at UNDP
On April 28, 2026, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) organized its 26th webinar, focusing on the topic of Impact Evaluation at UNDP. The session featured presentations by:
- Vijayalakshmi Vadivelu, Chief Corporate and Thematic Evaluations, Independent Evaluation Office, UNDP, New York.
- Ben Murphy, Evaluation Specialist, Independent Evaluation Office, UNDP New York
The webinar explored how impact evaluation can be applied in complex development settings, where change is often indirect, system-driven, context-specific, and shaped by multiple actors. The discussion emphasized that impact evaluation is not only an accountability tool, but also an important mechanism for learning, adaptation, scaling, and improving development programming.
A key focus of the session was UNDP’s approach to impact evaluation. Vijayalakshmi explained why UNDP needed a practical and tailored guidance framework that reflects its operational realities, including policy advisory work, capacity strengthening, governance support, public-private finance mechanisms, and implementation in fragile or fast-changing contexts. The presentation highlighted the importance of counterfactual thinking, mixed methods approaches, and strategic choices about when an impact evaluation is appropriate.
Ben’s presentation focused on UNDP’s first global impact evaluation of its approaches to off-grid energy access. He explained why off-grid energy is a suitable and important area for impact evaluation, particularly because energy access is closely linked to development outcomes but does not automatically translate into equitable benefits. The evaluation examines whether UNDP-supported off-grid energy systems are reliable, affordable, sustainable, and able to contribute to development gains, including for women and last-mile communities.
Overall, the webinar provided practical insights into how impact evaluation can be designed for complex development interventions, especially in the energy sector. It showed that credible impact evidence requires a balance between methodological rigor, contextual understanding, appropriate comparison group, stakeholder engagement, and a clear connection between evidence and decision-making. This document summarizes the key discussion points and takeaways from the webinar.
Presentations:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 25 – Insights from IEA’s 2025 Energy Efficiency Report and the Energy Efficiency Progress Tracker
On March 3, 2026, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) organized its 25th webinar, focusing on the topic of ‘Insights from IEA’s 2025 Energy Efficiency Report and Energy Efficiency Progress Tracker’.
The session featured two speakers from International Energy Agency:
- Lucas Boehlé, Energy Efficiency Analyst, International Energy Agency (IEA)
- Renee Stephens, Energy Efficiency Analyst, International Energy (IEA)
The session was structured around opening remarks and context setting by Edward Vine, followed by presentations from Lucas Boehlé and Renee Stephens of the IEA. Lucas presented recent global and regional trends in energy efficiency and highlighted key findings from the 2025 report, while Renee explained how the Progress Tracker can be used to monitor energy efficiency trends across countries, regions, and sectors.
Presentations:
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Recording:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 24 – From Data to Design: Using AI to Improve Clean Energy Interventions
On February 11, 2026, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) organized its 24th webinar, focusing on the topic of “From Data to Design: Using AI to Improve Clean Energy Interventions.”
The session featured a joint presentation by:
- Peter du Pont, Co-CEO, Asia Clean Energy Partners
- Mrutyunjaya (MJ) Nanda, Team Leader – Technology & Markets, Asia Clean Energy Partners
The webinar examined how AI can be used in practical, structured ways to develop a more efficient approach for semi-structured and guided interviews that inform the design of clean energy programs and initiatives. Rather than treating AI as a stand-alone solution, the speakers presented it as part of a structured, evidence-based process that combines desk research with stakeholder interviews, transcript-based qualitative analysis, and iterative validation. Through real-world examples with development financing institutions, they showed how this approach helps identify constraints and opportunities that are often missed in secondary research alone, and how those insights can improve the design, prioritization, and feasibility of interventions.
The speakers focused on the process for collecting raw interview transcripts and transforming them through AI prompts to develop actionable strategic recommendations for clients. The presenters highlighted the importance of effective design of AI promptsdesign, methodological discipline, and expert interpretation in ensuring that AI-generated outputs are credible, well-documented, and robust. They also emphasized that validation with stakeholders is essential for maintaining accuracy and trust in AI-supported research. The session demonstrated how practitioners can integrate AI tools into the practice of program design and evaluation, thereby improving both the speed and quality of analysis. And at the same time, a more robust and broader set of stakeholder interviews can provide the client with greater transparency and confidence in the research results, and ultimately in the design of the program or intervention.
Overall, the webinar provided a practical framework for using AI tools to support faster, smarter, more responsive qualitative research for clean energy programs, and provide clients with more context-responsive energy interventions across the region.
Presentations:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 23 – Advancing Evaluation for Better Governance in the Philippines
On January 14, 2026, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) organized its 23rd webinar, focusing on the topic of ‘Advancing Evaluation for Better Governance in the Philippines’.
The session featured three speakers from Government agencies in the Philippines including:
- Jesse David, Chief Economic Development Specialist, Department of Economy, Planning and Development
- Edel Ocampo, Chief Budget and Management Specialist at Department of Budget and Management, Philippines
- Romulo Emmanuel M. Miral, Jr., PhD, Deputy Secretary General, Congressional Policy And Budget Research Department, House of Representatives, Philippines
The Philippines has made important strides in strengthening the role of evaluation as a core function of public governance. This webinar explored how evaluation is being institutionalized across planning, budgeting, and implementation processes to support more effective, accountable, and learning-oriented government action. It provided an overview of the country’s evolving evaluation landscape, with a particular focus on the Revised National Evaluation Policy Framework, highlighting its objectives, key features, and implications for government agencies, evaluators, and development partners. By situating evaluation within broader governance systems, the session shared insights on how evidence can better inform decision-making, improve public sector performance, and strengthen policy implementation in the Philippines.
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 22 – Advancing Appliance Energy Efficiency Frameworks Across Asia: Evaluation of Policies and Impacts in China, India, and Indonesia
On October 23, 2025, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) hosted its 22nd webinar, focusing on the topic of ‘Advancing Appliance Energy Efficiency Frameworks Across Asia: Evaluation of Policies and Impacts in China, India, and Indonesia’.
The session featured three speakers from CLASP, an international nonprofit organization and a leading global authority on efficient appliances’ role in fighting climate change and improving people’s lives.:
- Hu Bo, Manager Technical, China, CLASP
- Kynan Tjandaputra, Senior Associate Climate, Indonesia, CLASP
- Kishore Kumar, Senior Manager, India, CLASP
Energy-efficient appliances play a critical role in reducing energy demand, cutting emissions, and supporting countries in meeting their climate and sustainable development goals. Across Asia, governments are strengthening their policy frameworks, such as standards, labeling, and incentive programs, to promote the adoption of efficient technologies. However, to ensure these efforts deliver the intended benefits, robust evaluation of policies and their impacts is essential. This webinar explored how evidence-based evaluation can enhance the design and implementation of appliance efficiency frameworks, inform policy adjustments, and demonstrate their contribution to national and regional energy transitions. By examining experiences from major Asian economies, the discussion highlighted lessons, challenges, and opportunities for advancing appliance energy efficiency across the region.
Presentations:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 21 – Industrial Energy Transitions in South Asia: Policies, Impacts, and Future Pathways
On September 12, 2025, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) hosted its 21st webinar, focusing on the topic of ‘Industrial Energy Transitions in South Asia: Policies, Impacts, and Future Pathways’.
The session featured two distinguished speakers:
- Shyamasree Dasgupta, Associate Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi Himachal Pradesh, India
- Firuz Ahamed Nahid, Post Doctoral Researcher, SMARTS, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Dr. Shyamasree Dasgupta examined India’s industrial energy policies, focusing on the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) scheme. She discussed its positive impact on energy efficiency and at the same time the challenges related to target setting, monitoring and transparency, calling for stronger evaluation systems.
Dr. Firuz Ahamed Nahid presented Bangladesh’s industrial energy landscape, showcasing efficiency opportunities and modeling results from SMARTS. He demonstrated how integrating demand-side solutions can reduce costs, emissions, and land use while boosting jobs.
The webinar offered a timely and insightful exploration of industrial energy efficiency in South Asia, with a focus on India and Bangladesh. It brought together perspectives on policy evolution, evaluation frameworks, and modeling approaches to highlight how industrial sectors can contribute meaningfully to energy transition goals. Presentations emphasized the importance of data-driven evaluation, market-based mechanisms, and integrated planning to reduce emissions, improve cost-effectiveness, and support sustainable development. The session provided valuable guidance for policymakers, evaluators, and practitioners working to design impactful, scalable, and equitable energy programs in the region.
Presentations:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 20 – Measuring What Matters: Non-Energy Benefits of Weatherization and Efficiency Programs
On August 5, 2025, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) hosted its 20th webinar, focusing on the topic of ‘Measuring What Matters: Non-Energy Benefits of Weatherization and Efficiency Programs’.
The session featured two distinguished speakers from Three3, Inc.:
- Bruce Tonn (he/him), Co-founder and President, Three3, Inc.
- Michaela Marincic (they/them), Senior Research & Data Analyst, Three3, Inc.
Edward Vine opened the session by introducing the mission of Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) to promote objective evaluation of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs across the region. He emphasized the growing importance of assessing non-energy benefits (NEBs) such as health, comfort, and financial well-being – critical dimensions in understanding the full impact of energy interventions.
Dr. Bruce Tonn presented findings from multiple U.S.-based studies on the non-energy impacts of low-income weatherization programs. He demonstrated how physical improvements to homes lead to measurable gains in health, household finances, and life satisfaction, and advocated for integrating weatherization with public health and climate resilience strategies.
Michaela Marincic followed with a detailed explanation of how to monetize these non-energy impacts, showing how assigning dollar values to health and well-being outcomes strengthens the case for investment in energy efficiency. They illustrated innovative modeling approaches and emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration in advancing evaluation practices.
The webinar offered a compelling exploration of how weatherization and energy efficiency programs can deliver wide-ranging societal benefits. It provided valuable insights for policymakers, evaluators, and practitioners seeking to design more equitable, cost-effective, and impactful energy programs.
Presentations:
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Michaela Marincic, Senior Research & Data Analyst, Three3, Inc., Discussion Topic: “Approaches to monetizing non-energy impacts for energy efficiency programs
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Recording:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 19 – Insights on Evaluating Energy Efficiency and Demand Response
On July 9, 2025, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) hosted its 19th webinar, focusing on the topic of ‘Insights on Evaluating Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs’.
The session featured two distinguished speakers:
- Lorenzo Daieff, Senior Consultant at Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors
- Teevrat Garg, Associate Professor of Economics at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California, San Diego
Edward Vine opened the session by introducing EEAP’s mission to promote objective evaluation of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs across the region. He highlighted the importance of evaluating energy efficiency and demand response programs, critical tools in the global energy transition.
Lorenzo Daieff presented findings from a North American study on evolving evaluation practices. He highlighted the need to shift from traditional audit-focused models to more flexible, learning-oriented approaches that support decarbonization, equity, and innovation in energy program design.
Teevrat Garg shared results from three experiments conducted in Vietnam, India, and California, demonstrating how behavioral nudges, smart technologies, and automated systems can enhance demand response. He emphasized the value of cost-effective, scalable solutions tailored to emerging economies.
The webinar offered a compelling look at evolving practices in energy program evaluation and demand response, highlighting innovative strategies and real-world applications. It provided valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners committed to advancing sustainable and equitable energy systems.
Presentations:
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Lorenzo Daieff, Senior Consultant at Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, Discussion Topic: “Are Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) practices ready for the energy transition?Key findings from a North American jurisdictional scan”
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Teevrat Garg, Associate Professor of Economics at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California, San Diego, Discussion Topic: “Demand Response in Action”
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Recording:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 18 – Evaluating Energy Efficiency in Asia Pacific: Technologies, Behaviors, and the Role of Evidence
On May 28, 2025, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) hosted its 18th webinar, focusing on the evaluation of energy efficiency in the Asia Pacific region, with a particular emphasis on technologies, behaviors, and the role of evidence in shaping effective energy policy.
The session featured two distinguished speakers:
- Alexander Ablaza, CEO, Climargy; Chair, Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance and Asia-Pacific ESCO Industry Alliance
- Sanjana Gorti, Director, Air and Water Labs, J-PAL South Asia
Edward Vine opened the session by introducing EEAP’s mission to promote objective evaluation of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs across the region. He highlighted the importance of behavioral science in energy policy and introduced the Eval Torch initiative as a global symbol of evaluation’s role in sustainable development.
Alexander Ablaza presented on the growth and transformation of the ESCO market in the Philippines. He emphasized the need to treat energy efficiency as a primary energy resource and outlined the investment, policy, and institutional frameworks required to scale up implementation. Ablaza also discussed the role of measurement and verification in ensuring accountability and attracting private capital.
Sanjana Gorti shared evidence from randomized controlled trials conducted by J-PAL South Asia, demonstrating how behavioral interventions, smart metering, and real-time pricing can influence energy consumption. She emphasized the importance of rigorous evaluation in understanding both the intended and unintended impacts of energy efficiency programs and called for greater collaboration between researchers, governments, and civil society.
The webinar offered a rich exploration of energy efficiency strategies and evaluation methodologies, providing valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working to advance sustainable energy systems in the Asia Pacific region.
Presentations:
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Summary Notes: EEAP Webinar 17 – Implementing and Evaluating Energy Efficiency Policies for Buildings in Asia Pacific
On April 3, 2025, the Energy Evaluation Asia Pacific (EEAP) hosted its 17th webinar focusing on the Implementation and Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Policies for Buildings in Asia Pacific
The session featured three distinguished speakers:
- Kimberly Roseberry, Economic Affairs Officer, Energy Division, UNESCAP
- Gennai Kamata, Associate Programme Officer, Buildings and Urban Energy, UN Environment Programme
- Thien Juengwirunchodinan, Solution Development, Coral Life
Kimberly Roseberry, an Economic Affairs Officer at UNESCAP, highlighted the critical role of energy-efficient buildings in achieving sustainable development goals in the Asia Pacific region. She discussed policy tools, barriers, and implementation pathways, emphasizing the need for comprehensive evaluations to establish performance baselines and assess regulatory impacts.
Gennai Kamata, a technical expert at UNEP, introduced the Global ABC Building Roadmap, developed with input from over 700 experts. This roadmap provides tailored guidelines for decarbonizing the building sector. Gennai stressed the importance of multi-faceted evaluation criteria, including technical progress, policy advancement, market transformation, capacity building, and climate impact.
Thien Juengwirunchodinan, from Coral Life shared their approach to sustainable building solutions, achieving over 70% energy savings and wellness-grade indoor air quality. He emphasized effective evaluation and monitoring using energy use intensity (EUI) benchmarks and real-time indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors to ensure optimal building performance. Thien also discussed the market potential for sustainable building solutions in Southeast Asia.
The webinar explored sustainable building practices and energy efficiency in depth, highlighting innovative solutions, policy frameworks, and evaluation methodologies. It was an essential resource for policymakers, researchers, and industry professionals committed to advancing energy-efficient and resilient building sectors.
Presentations:
- Kimberly Roseberry, Economic Affairs Officer, Energy Division, UNESCAP “Building Energy Efficiency: Taking Stock of Policy and Practice in Asia and the Pacific”
- Gennai Kamata, Associate Programme Officer, Buildings and Urban Energy, UN Environment Programme, “UNEP/Global ABC and Cool Coalition efforts towards energy-efficient and resilient buildings in Asia”
- Thien Juengwirunchodinan, Solution Development, Coral Life, “Advancing Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Market Trends, Performance, and the Path Forward”
Summary Notes
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Recording:
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