Sintali-SGS Partners with Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) to Develop Green Building Market in Kenya
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- May 20, 2021
Sintali and SGS are collaborating with the Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) to support the development of the green building market in Kenya in a programme known as EDGE.
As part of this partnership, KGBS will organise and run EDGE Expert trainings on behalf of Sintali-SGS.
EDGE is an innovation of IFC that helps property developers to build and brand green buildings in a fast, easy and affordable way. EDGE is supported by free software that encourages solutions to reduce energy, water and the energy used to make building materials by at least 20 percent.
KGBS has partnered with Sintali – SGS to help widen the reach of EDGE in the Kenyan construction industry.
“We intend to train over 100 professionals in the building sector annually and are in the process of training the various ministries in charge of housing and urban development as well as the National Construction Authority.
It’s also worth noting that in the run-up to COP26 we recognize the need to advocate for climate financing for climate adaptation in developing nations, shifting slightly from the main focus that has always been cutting down greenhouse gas emissions,” says Ted Otieno, chairperson at KGBS.
In addition to this, Thomas Saunders, managing director of Sintali expressed his confidence in project.
“We are very excited to have Ted and Amrish as EDGE Trainers, particularly as they take on new roles of leadership within KGBS. Sintali. With their experience working with the EDGE green building standard and their ambitious vision for the future of the Kenyan built environment, we have no doubt they will act as catalysts for change in the market.” Said Saunders.
“There is a significant market opportunity in Kenya for green buildings and that will continue to grow over the coming years,” said Yusuf Jin, business manager at SGS Kenya.
“The government’s decree last year to support the development of affordable housing through the use of EDGE sent a strong market signal to the local industry that the future of housing is green. With the support of organisations like KGBS, as well as our teams on the ground who work with clients closely, we have no doubt that we can realise the vision of a greener built environment across the country.”
KGBS is aiming to support the government’s decree that all affordable housing development projects under the Big 4 agenda must meet the EDGE green building standard.
They are therefore planning to build internal capacity to accelerate the deployment of resource-efficient affordable housing,
KGBS will be hosting its first EDGE Expert training for government officials at the end of May.
Future trainings will be open to participants throughout Kenya and the region.
