As Kenya builds upward and outward, it’s also building smarter; proving that green construction isn’t just a trend, but a blueprint for a resilient, low-carbon future.
By Staff Writer
Kenya has officially crossed a landmark in its sustainable development journey, with over one million square metres of green-certified building floorspace now in place. This achievement is more than a symbolic win—it represents a tangible shift in how the country designs, builds, and thinks about the spaces people live, work, and heal in.
From the iconic Britam Towers to the innovative Mvule Gardens, Africa’s first EDGE-certified 3D-printed homes, Kenya is proving that sustainable construction can be scalable, accessible, and regionally relevant. At a time when the construction industry contributes nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, this milestone offers hope, and a model, for other emerging economies.
The EDGE advantage: Simplicity meets scale
At the heart of this transformation is EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), a green building certification tool developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). EDGE enables developers to quickly assess and adopt resource-efficient strategies by estimating the cost, environmental benefit, and payback time of various green design elements. The tool is web-based, easy to use, and most importantly, affordable – making it well-suited for fast-growing markets like Kenya.
In Kenya, 212 buildings – including hospitals, offices, warehouses, residential developments, and hotels -have been EDGE-certified. These structures will offset 9,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to removing 2,000 cars from the road each year, while saving 32,000 MWh of energy and 900,000 cubic metres of water every year.
“This milestone is not just about numbers,” explains Mary Macharia, EDGE Green Buildings Country Lead for Kenya.
“It’s about unlocking new levels of performance in both commercial and affordable housing projects and shifting behaviour across the built environment.”
From Brown to Green: Retrofitting for the Future
While new developments are being built sustainably, a larger challenge lies in Kenya’s vast stock of “brown” buildings – informal, inefficient structures that dominate the housing sector. According to George Ndege, President of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), transforming these buildings will require more than ambition; it will require data, standards, incentives, and localised solutions.
“Most of Kenya’s housing is informal and doesn’t meet green standards. Retrofitting these is expensive, but essential. We must understand where we stand regionally and push for comparative timelines and targets,” says Ndege.
Retrofitting involves upgrading building systems for energy efficiency, integrating solar power, harvesting rainwater, and installing features like green roofs and low-flow plumbing. These changes not only cut emissions and resource use but also improve occupant wellbeing—an increasingly important value proposition for property owners.
Local tools, local impact
To ensure sustainable design fits Kenya’s unique context, the AAK is developing a homegrown certification tool: the Safari Green Building Index. Unlike global tools that may not fully reflect local climate realities, this new standard will address all building types and regional variations across East Africa. It will apply to both new constructions and major retrofits, including heritage sites.
“This tool will demystify green building strategies and give local architects a practical framework to work with,” says Ndege. “It’s a critical step in aligning our built environment with Kenya’s climate goals.”
In parallel, Kenya’s decarbonisation roadmap, being developed by the Green Building Performance Network (GBPN) with support from AAK and the State Department for Public Works, will provide empirical benchmarks to track how the country’s buildings contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
A growing Green Economy – and the gaps
Despite this momentum, challenges remain. While national and county governments have guidelines promoting sustainable construction – including the Climate Change (Green and Resilient Buildings) Regulations of 2023 and the updated Kenya Building Code – implementation has lagged. As Ndege notes, “It’s not that we lack the rules. The question is whether we are enforcing them.”
Moreover, while developers are beginning to appreciate the long-term financial benefits of green buildings, such as lower utility costs, improved financing rates, and higher occupancy, public awareness remains low. Many homeowners and small developers still view sustainability as a costly luxury rather than a strategic investment.
What’s next? Scaling solutions with partnerships and policy
Kenya’s milestone proves that scalable, impactful green building is possible in emerging markets. Now, to accelerate progress, the country needs:
- Public-private partnerships to retrofit older buildings and roll out green public infrastructure.
- Financial incentives, such as green bonds and lower interest loans, for developers embracing sustainable designs.
- Training programs to expand local expertise in green architecture and engineering.
- Public education campaigns to shift perceptions and build demand from the bottom up.
With rising urbanisation, Kenya has an opportunity to redefine growth—not as a choice between prosperity and sustainability, but as a union of both. As technology evolves and local solutions like the Safari Index mature, Kenya could emerge as a continental leader in climate-smart construction.
“The future is green,” Macharia affirms. “And in Kenya, that future is already under construction.”
Call to Action:
✅ Developers – Explore EDGE or Safari Index tools to green your next project
🏛 Policy Makers – Prioritise implementation of existing green building regulations
📢 Citizens – Ask about your building’s energy footprint and push for change
