Imagine waking up each winter day to a sky so thick with pollution that the sun is just a faint memory. This is the daily reality for Altangerel and Bolormaa, an elderly couple living in a district of traditional tent-style homes in Darkhan, Mongolia. Known as “gers”, these informal structures grow wickedly cold during the country’s sub-zero winters. Yet pollution from the coal-burning stoves that residents like Altangerel and Bolormaa use to stay warm is putting their lives at risk. In fact, the air in Darkhan is now so toxic that the respiratory effects for residents are akin to smoking five or six packs of cigarettes. This grim reality is playing out in cities across Mongolia, with the country’s capital—Ulaanbaatar—now frequently cited as one of the most polluted in the world.

 

But air pollution isn’t the only challenge facing ger residents like Altangerel and Bolormaa. Although their modest $10,000 brick home provides shelter, it lacks access to basic services like heating and hot water, severely impacting their quality of life and health. The only solution to access these essential utilities is to move to a modern high-rise apartment, but with starting prices around $40,000, this remains far out of reach for most ger residents.

Could the situation be different, and ger living conditions improve? We believe the answer is ‘yes.’ In our new report, entitled “Reimagining Ger Districts: A Blueprint for Green, Resilient, and Affordable Housing in Mongolia,” we spell out a pathway for ger urban living that both improves housing conditions and fosters long-term sustainability and resilience. As importantly, it does so while retaining people’s connection to the land, which remains a pivotal part of Mongolian culture and everyday ways of life.

 

Such a vision could be closer than it seems. Many ger areas have already benefited from government investment in infrastructure services. This means that if homes can be suitably upgraded, then it is feasible to connect them to essential utilities. Admittedly, doing so requires an upfront investment on the part of homeowners. But this is within reach for many.

In addition to retrofitting homes, our report recommends "gentle densification"—a culturally sensitive approach focused on developing affordable, resilient housing like single detached units, two-story duplexes, and low-rise buildings in vacant ger spaces. This strategy prioritizes green, resilient construction methods, ensuring that development is both sustainable and community-friendly.

Altangerel and Bolormaa’s son and his wife, for example, could build an additional green, resilient single-family home on their family land for just $8,000—less than half the cost of a conventional multi-story apartment. Once completed and registered, the property could serve as collateral for loans, unlocking new economic opportunities that most ger residents currently cannot access.

Gentle densification has already proven successful in countries from the United States to South Africa. By applying urban planning strategies like land readjustment and upgrading road networks, Mongolian ger districts can be revitalized. These improvements, including more abundant green homes, better infrastructure and public spaces, can transform entire neighborhoods while also reducing disaster risks, such as floods. Though the polluted skies in ger communities may make such a future hard to envision, the blueprint in the new report brings this vision within reach. Affordable, green housing and safer, more resilient communities are not just possible—they're achievable.