PAN African housing development financier, Shelter Afrique, has urged stakeholders within the built environment to prioritise efforts in combating climate change, labelling it as ‘one of the most pressing challenges of our era.’
Speaking at the Zambia EDGE Discovery Workshop, an event organised by Shelter Afrique Centre of Excellence (CoE) in collaboration with IFC EDGE and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development, Zambiahttps://edgebuildings.com/, Shelter Afrique’s Managing Director, Thierno Habib Hann, highlighted the company’s commitment to fostering sustainable and responsible housing practices for a more resilient future.
‘In a world where climate change is reshaping landscapes and altering lives, our collective efforts hold the power to forge a more sustainable path forward. The adverse impacts of climate change on our societies, economies, and environment are undeniable. Today, we stand united to explore innovative solutions, particularly in the realm of green and sustainable housing, that can mitigate these challenges and promote resilience. As a company and in line with our 2023-2027 corporate strategy, we are dedicated to constructing housing units that showcase resource efficiency and sustainability,’ Hann stated.
Through its Centre of Excellence, Shelter Afrique collaborates with IFC to deliver EDGE Discovery Workshops to developers and other stakeholders in the housing industry across Africa, aiming to accelerate the development of resource-efficient affordable housing.
Zambia’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development, Albert Malama, commended Shelter Afrique for leading the EDGE workshop in Zambia and championing green building practices across the continent.
‘Climate change is already having significant impacts on the built environment across the continent and globally. It’s therefore critical that stakeholders in the built environment in Zambia work together to promote green building practices and foster sustainability in the housing and built environment industry. As a government, we’ll work closely with Shelter Afrique and other stakeholders towards achieving this goal,’ Malama affirmed.
Facilitating the training, Dennis Quansah, the Programmme Lead for IFC EDGE Green Building Market Transformation Programme for Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, urged African governments to incentivise green building projects.
‘To speed up the transition, governments can provide tax incentives, expedited permitting, bonus density, grants & loans, technical assistance, proper legislation, and public campaigns, Quansah recommended.
To attain EDGE certification, housing units will need to demonstrate at least 20 percent resource efficiency in energy, water, and embodied energy in materials.
‘We view EDGE as a mark of value that will shape and grow demand for our sustainable housing communities in Africa. In addition, living in an EDGE-certified home benefits the homeowner and their family through significant savings in utility costs,’ Hann explained.
Shelter Afrique, established by African governments, is a pan African housing finance and development institution aimed at addressing the need for a sustainable housing delivery system and related infrastructure projects in Africa. The institution provides financial solutions, advisory, and project management services for affordable housing projects. It is currently owned by 44 African countries, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re).