The proposed project aims at assisting the five targeted countries in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi) in improving and promoting energy efficiency in buildings, making the improvements in the building sector and the real estate market one of the solutions for addressing energy security. The project is designed to positively influence current practices in the building sector by promoting a systematic and comprehensive approach for stimulating a market demand for energy efficient buildings in the region.
Although increased energy efficiency is highlighted as a key objective in many policy papers in the target countries, none of them has an energy efficiency law/bylaw/regulatory system for buildings and constructions. This project seeks: to mainstream energy efficiency into the existing legislation; and, to build on ongoing initiatives and develop an energy efficiency regulatory system for new and existing buildings. The project will also focus on green architecture, with the emphasis on effective policies, regulations and standards that integrate energy efficiency into building design.
Without the intervention, no major improvement can be expected in the medium term in all the five countries. This project's regional approach will avoid duplication of efforts, will increase efficiency in the use of resources and will create competition among the countries for adopting and implementing of EEB's regulations. The strong awareness, capacity building and technical assistance that will link the government agencies cooperating with international experts will favor knowledge sharing and transfer.
The project “Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings in East Africa” will include five inter-related components, namely:
- Component 1: Energy Efficiency Data and Benchmarks in the Building Sector. This component will address existing gaps in terms of consistent, relevant and adequate data of various types of buildings (all related to EEB) in the region. It will allow formulating benchmarks, as well as identifying opportunities and energy saving potentials.
- Component 2: Formulation and Adoption of Energy Efficiency Codes in Buildings. This component is the core of Promoting EEB in East Africa and will target the revision of the country specific building code and municipal by laws to include EEB with reference to the specific climatic zones. Moreover, toolkits and guidelines will be developed for the application of the building code, especially in related municipal by laws. Civil servants will be capacitated to administer the implementation of the new regulations.
- Component 3: Awareness Raising and Capacity Building in EE, and Best Practices in the Building Sector. This component rests on three main pillars, the awareness creation with the general public, the technical capacity building for professionals on EEB and the East African Energy Efficiency in Buildings Award, as an instrument to create regional recognition for architects, building owners, real estate developers and other actors that have adopted energy efficiency and green building criteria in their buildings.
- Component 4: Appropriate Financial Framework for the Promotion of EE Measures in Buildings. This component will focus on EEB finance, following an approach that includes top-level advocacy with the top-managements of commercial banks; training and capacity building on EEB finance; and the introduction of the green mortgage concept in the region. Green/EEB investment portfolios will be developed together with the banks. This component will also establish pilot financial mechanisms in all partner countries.
- Component 5: Development and Implementation of Pilot Projects. This project component will provide technical assistance to all ongoing governmental mass housings projects regarding the incorporation of EEB measures. In partner countries where the EEB code has been approved and adopted, the implementation of the code will be tested in reality and on scale. Operational models will be created for the mainstreaming. An advisory team will provide technical assistance in EEB with respect to planning, design and construction. Important concepts to be promoted will include natural lighting, ventilation and cooling systems; adequate building orientation, the use of sun shading devices; solar water heaters, energy saving lamps etc. The team will also advice on retrofitting existing buildings. The direct GHG emission reductions of this program will be achieved here.
It is the projects assumption that the joint implementation of these interlinked components (jointly together with the National Governments and the EAC) in close cooperation with relevant projects by the international donor community will provide sufficient momentum for the achievement of the project objective.
