In 1995 Ukraine created a special ministry-level institution -- the State Committee of Ukraine for Energy Conservation (SCEC) with the responsibilities of formulating and implementing the national policy in the sphere of energy efficiency. The SCEC receives state budget funding for energy efficiency and is responsible for directing it to priority financing of investment projects in this sphere. In heat supply sector, most district heating companies are in communal ownership, subordinated either to municipalities or regional (oblast) governments. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources is responsible for development and implementation of the national policy regarding environmental issues in Ukraine. The State Committee on Construction, Architecture and Housing Policy is develops building codes, norms and standards for district heating and defines district heating tariff policy. A non-governmental organization, Association of Ukrainian Cities helps to disseminate positive experience among the municipalities, including best practices in communal district heating and in some regions, there is an ongoing process of privatizing district heating and creating joint-stock companies. On the demand side, majority of public buildings (schools, kindergartens, polyclinics, hospitals, cultural and administration buildings) are owned and financed by municipalities. A significant number of public buildings are financed from the state budget (in particular, higher education and healthcare) and from oblast budget (healthcare and administration). In the residential sector, the majority of apartment buildings are owned by municipalities, with ongoing apartment privatization. A significant number of buildings are owned by housing cooperatives and emerging condominiums. Municipal budgets provide subsidies for utility services to underprivileged households.