Green Africa Building Standards and Certification

Buildings have extensive direct and indirect impact on the environment and occupants. This fact has prompted the creation of Green Africa Building Standards, Certification and Rating Systems aimed at mitigating the impact of buildings on occupants and the natural environment.

Synonymous with a sustainable building, a Green Building is a structure that is designed, built, renovated, operated, or reused in a resource-efficient manner. Green buildings are designed to meet certain objectives such as protecting occupant health; improving employee productivity; using energy, water, and other resources more efficiently; and reducing the overall impact of the environment.

A GreenMark is a Standard for use in rating and certifying green buildings in Kenya and the Africa region. It provides guidelines for independent assessment of the degree of вЂ˜greenness’ of an existing or proposed building. It has been developed through a rigorous multi-stakeholder process based on professional practice, nationally accepted environmental considerations, and it seeks to elaborate on synergies between established practices and emerging concepts, both national and international

The GreenMark Rating System has been developed by a team of experts and stakeholders hosted by the Green Africa Foundation through a rigorous multi-stakeholder engagement involving several experts (drawn from the government, academia, private sector and the civil society) and guided by a lead Consultant (Mr. Nickson Otieno). The Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (MoTIHUD) as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forestry participated in this process. Green Africa Foundation provided secretariat services to both the Technical Committee and the activities of the Standard’s Board. Additional support was provided by the LECRED project of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry – Climate Change Directorate. The 'GreenMark' is managed by an independent, multi-stakeholder вЂ˜GreenMark Standards and Certification Board'. The board formulates policies and makes strategic decisions that appertain to the development and use of the 'GreenMark' Standard. The Board is the Certifying body of GreenMark.

Green Building Certification

All buildings that shall adhere to the requirements specified in this standard shall be eligible for green building certification with the classification categories of bronze, silver, gold, platinum, or diamond. Buildings must meet the mandatory/ regulatory requirement prior to certification.

Green Building Standards

An application and certification tool that prescribes the categories, characteristics and rating system used to award a “Green Mark” certificate to all types and sizes of buildings which standards specify categories, characteristics and rating systems and classifications for use in all types of buildings. The overall purpose of this standard is to provide guidelines for infrastructure, renovation and new facilities to respect green best practices.

Green Africa Standards and Certification Experts

The development of Green Africa Building Standards and Certification process is overseen by a pool of experts in building, construction, environmental, occupational health and legal practice drawn from the public, private, academia and civic sectors. The following are some of the organisations represented in the Green Africa Building Standards Certification Board and Technical Committee:-

• State Department for Housing and Urban Development (SDHUD), Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development (MTIHUD)
• State Department of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Forestry
• Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)
• National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
• National Construction Authority (NCA)
• Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
• Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)
• Kenya National Accreditation Service (KENAS)
• Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD)
• Kenya Medical Research Instititute (KEMRI)
• Waste Management & Climate Change Unit, Ministry of Health
• Council of Governors
• Nairobi City County
• Makueni County
• Kiambu County
• Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK)
• Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK)
• Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
• University of Nairobi
• Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
• Jaramogi Oginga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST
• Mutizo Menezes International
• Niko Green LTD
• Global Engineering International
• Kilonzo and Company Advocates
• Trine Architects
• Archispace Architects
• Shelter Varieties Ltd.
• KEM Associates
• D-Sheq Managements System Consultants
• Enprohnet Agency
• Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Kenya

Below is the Zero Draft GreenMARK Standard Tool (awaiting validation on the 12th of September, 2018) and the Template for comments submission.