Green by Practice, Not by Paper: Why Small Fraction of Kenya’s Projects Pursue Certification

The average Kenyan home spends more than 5% of its income on utilities. While a record-breaking number of new buildings now include eco-friendly features that save costs, less than 10% pursue a green building certification.

Kenya is racing to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In Nairobi, office blocks and homes have gone full scale on solar with large panels spotted on walls and roofs. LED lighting is the new standard in the backdrop of ever-increasing energy costs, while smart faucets cut down water usage. The city seems to be going greener, but a very small fraction of projects undergo formal green building certification. Developers decry long and technical approval processes. At the core, this appears to be a case of information asymmetry.

The Green Building Misunderstanding

Globally, the most popular green building certifications are LEED, BREEAM, and EDGE. Each of these certifications acts as a report card on the building’s energy, water, and material usage and efficiency. LEED, popular in the USA, checks everything from the lighting to the paint on the walls, while BREEAM, more recognized in Europe, is more detailed.

EDGE, created by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is designed to support developers through the planning stages via a free App, and is more popular in Kenya. To achieve the IFC EDGE certification, projects must demonstrate that they save at least 20 percent of energy, water, and material usage. While most Kenyans worry about being locked in on “subscription fees”, none of these certification regimes require membership fees. Projects pay one-time registration and audit fees.

“Many people still think going green means spending more, but that’s a misconception,” says Amrish Shah, an EDGE Expert, Auditor and Director of MSc Sustainable Development. “In reality, green certification helps you design smarter and save money over time—through lower energy and water bills and better building performance. What’s missing is awareness.”

Amrish states that even though most projects use efficient lights and taps, that’s only part of the story. “Certification tools like IFC EDGE make it simple to plan sustainability from the start and actually prove that the building performs better.” The real challenge isn’t the cost; it’s understanding the benefits.”

Based on global certification protocols, sustainability must begin at the design stage. Locally, it appears that developers wait until the construction is done, then slap a few sustainable features on the buildings to attract buyers.

Kenyans’ Hands-on Approach to Sustainability

The United Nations Environment Programme says that buildings contribute about 39 percent of global carbon emissions. Kenyans are acutely aware of the impact of climate change, with regular floods and droughts witnessed in the country yearly. The increasing environmental awareness in Kenya has the potential to shape a desirable climate future if properly directed.

As developers stumble on the technicalities and bottom-line impact of green certification, Kenyans are taking matters into their own hands. The market of post-construction green additions, from solar water heaters to rainwater tanks and LED lighting, is booming. New homes and offices in Kenya may not qualify for green certifications, but they reflect a quiet shift in values.

Roston Maliazo, CEO of Prime House Interiors, notes this change. “Most Kenyan homeowners are practical – less than ten percent of our yearly projects have a green building certification requirement. Kenyans spend on interior design features that lower bills or improve comfort, but they rarely see a certificate as adding value—until they’re selling or leasing.”

Maliazo notes that building owners are demanding more daylight optimisation, improved indoor air quality, and high material safety. “Sustainability is becoming a lifestyle, but quite informally. That lifestyle is driven by cost. Water and electricity are expensive. Families are learning that saving energy is not about saving the planet—it is about saving money.”

The cost benefits of green features are immutable, certifications notwithstanding. But these benefits increase when factors including insulation, daylight, water efficiency, and airflow are optimised at the design stage. Kenya’s uncertified green buildings save energy, but they could save much more with the accountability that certifications bring.

Without verified data, Kenya cannot fully count its progress. That means losing access to local and international green financing, which often requires certified proof. It also makes it harder to compare buildings and track performance over time.

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