Architects, property developers and policy-makers should promote energy-friendly green buildings rather than opting for glazed complexes, experts have said.

Musau Kimeu, the chairperson of the department of Architecture and Building Science, University of Nairobi, said East Africa has moved on to construction of big malls in cities that are almost all glass-covered which poses a danger to sustainable architecture.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop on sustainable buildings, in Machakos County, Kenya, yesterday, Kimeu said buildings contribute about 50 per cent of global warming, and hence addressing these issues requires an engagement with architects and informing them of the consequences of the changes in building designs.

"We must stop copying the West and instead design buildings that are suitable to our tropical climate.... we must pursue sustainable building design strategies to construct buildings that have exemplary humane qualities and that resonate well with the locale,” said Kimeu.

The training workshop on sustainable building reporting for journalists—from around the region was organised by Kenya—UN-Habitat under the theme, "Effective Reporting in Green Building in East Africa.”

UN-Habitat estimates that over 50 per cent of the total energy generated in developing countries is used in urban buildings alone, consuming more energy than the transport or the industrial sectors.

The building sector, accounts for 38 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, contributing significantly to climate change.

"We have seen several buildings with glazed windows constructed in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda in the recent past. Well, they give good visual impressions but they are not as sustainable,” Kimeu said, adding that such buildings should have narrow plans to allow penetration of natural lighting into the building and good cross-ventilation.

"We need to localise the architecture we see from Europe and make it suitable for our region,” he added.

Kimeu said that glazed houses tend to consume extra energy in terms of air-conditioning unlike the green buildings, hence making the construction sector in the region more expensive.

Dr Vincent Kitio, the Chief Energy Unity at UN-Habitat, said the sector in Africa consumes around 56 per cent of the total national energy supply, making it the biggest consumer of energy compared to, say transport and industry sectors.

"Huge amount of energy is wasted everyday during the construction and the operation of buildings in the region,” said Kitio, reiterating that the majority of the modern buildings in sub-Sahara Africa are replicas of western world designs which do not take into considerations the local environment, economy and social context.

"As a result, such buildings are heavily reliant on artificial means for indoor comfort in terms of cooling, heating, ventilation and lighting. This is due to inefficient designs and use of unsuitable materials which have resulted into tremendous energy waste, high electricity bills, air pollution and green house emission,” said Kitio.

The green economy is one of the targets Rwanda seeks to achieve under the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II) that runs up to 2018.

Rwanda is promoting a ‘green’ economy under its medium-term development blueprint to ensure the country develops in a sustainable manner that encourages resource conservation, as well as environmental protection to ensure sustainable growth.

The approach involves construction of environmentally-friendly green homes and use of renewable energy sources.

The concept has recently inspired a partnership between Horizon Group and the National Fund for Climate Change and Environment (FONERWA) to create awareness among Rwandans about the benefits of green living, as well as the construction of green homes in Rwanda.

Horizon Group has dedicated 13.7 hectares of prime land in Kinyinya, Gasabo District toward construction of the Cactus Green Park. The project will have a total of 349 units and the dwelling units will be distributed in 137 buildings, according to the developers.

The construction of green homes is expected to commence in June, and would run for 18 months.

Kimeu applauded, Rwanda’s move to promote green building policies, saying they are suitable for the region’s climate while building materials are also easily found.

"The governments in the region must take a front role to facilitate and encourage best environmental practices.

Green buildings pay in financial, environmental and maintenance terms,” said Kimeu, adding that "Banks should offer incentives in the forms of lower interest rates to developers of green buildings…this will go a long way in creating the right atmosphere to spur sustainable building boom in the region.”

He urged architects in the region to always design environmentally friendly buildings, and developers to always demand environmentally friendly structures.

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