Preserving the environment through construction

By Ferdinand Mwongela

First was the herbal fad when everything from soap to medicine was made from herbs, then came the green technology bug and every company worth its name was keen to be seen as minders of the environment through their products and policies.

An eco-friendly house.

In a world that is fast becoming aware of the need to conserve the environment, owing to the evident dangers that arise from misusing and abusing the environment, the move by the corporate world to save the planet are commendable. The real estate sector has not been left behind. However, it behoves to ask? Just how authentic are some of the touted ‘eco developments?’

Green technology is not a new concept in Africa. In the West, however, numerous debates and discussions have been ongoing on the detrimental effects of carbon emissions.

Marketing gimmick

Eco-friendly developments are expected to meet certain conditions. One of these is basic eco-friendliness, which is a must for developers in Kenya seeing as they have to secure approvals for their projects from the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) among other authorities. All developers must obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment Report and have their property plans approved before commencing any construction on the ground.

Beddington Zero Energy Development, one of UK’s largest carbon-neutral eco-communities, which incorporates new approaches to energy conservation and sustainability.

In a country where businessmen and women are keener to make large profits, it is possible for crooked developers to label their projects ‘eco-friendly’ as part of their marketing gimmick while putting no extra effort to ensure they meet this status.

At the same time, there are developers who have embraced the eco-friendly concept. According to property developer Pete Muraya, however, there is no fully eco-friendly development anywhere in the world as this is nearly impossible.

"Eco developments are measured by the degree of eco-friendliness," he says. "It is nearly impossible to achieve full eco-compliance."

David Muniu, the chairman of the Hacienda Development Holdings currently constructing an eco city in Mombasa, agrees. The Hacienda Eco City plans to live up to its name by incorporating a solar and power station, and water harvesting recycling plants within the estate.

"Eco-developments have got different faces to them," Muniu says. "The most visible of these faces is power and water conservation."

Currently, most of the world’s power is generated from water, nuclear or fossil fuels, all of which have varying detrimental effects on the environment. Eco-friendly solutions include solar and wind driven energy, which, sadly, are extremely under-utilised.

Solar panels

Sue and Pete Muraya, the directors of Suraya Property Group.

Developers say the cost of setting up eco-friendly stations are prohibitive. "The construction of a solar or wind power station is a difficult undertaking," says Muniu. "If a developer has less than 1,000 units in his/her project, then the logistics of constructing a solar or wind energy station would be too high."

The prohibitive costs would explain why in Africa, in a continent highly blessed with perennial hot seasons, solar energy has not been fully or even partially harnessed. In Mombasa’s Hacienda Eco City, the planned power station will have an expected output of 15 megawatts.

While installing solar panels in individual houses saves power, it might not be enough to meet all household needs. "Lighting poles will have solar panels on them and be independent of each other so that sufficient energy will be produced," says Muniu.

At the Fourways Junction — a project along Kiambu Road under construction by Suraya Property Group — emphasis has been placed on water harvesting. "The development is going to take into consideration water harvesting and will recycle water, which will then be used for landscaping," says Muraya.

Despite the fact that a large part of the earth’s surface is covered by water masses, crippling water shortages are a recurrent crisis.

Daniel Ojijo, the executive chairman of the Mentor Group of Companies, adds that environmental conservation is critical. "The importance of the preservation of the environment has never been as crucial as it is now, owing to a wide range of challenges arising from global warming," he says.

He is, however, concerned that few developers are currently engaged in eco-developments. "Given that it is a relatively new concept in the country, not many developers are into eco-developments. However, those who have embraced the concept are keen to ensure the trend becomes a standard approach in the development of housing projects," says Ojijo.

The concern for environmental wellbeing is increasingly receiving attention in most housing estates. Individual home owners, too, have embraced the environment and are incorporating interventions to promote conservation. In most homes today, trees, flowers and other plants have been planted and maintained, both inside and outside the house. In many estates today, trees and a variety of plants have been planted. Most people today prefer to grow plants as part of their fences, demonstrating an increasing awareness towards environmental conservation.

UN pilot eco-village

"At the Hacienda Eco City, we have undertaken to plant over 20,000 tree seedlings," reveals Muniu.

At the Fourways Junction, trees will be part of the environment. No fences will be built. Instead, trees will be the boundaries separating houses.

Still, the cost of being eco-friendly is too expensive for many people. "The cost of eco-developments is as much as 30 per cent of the total cost," reveals Sue Muraya, a director with Suraya Property Group. "There is a need for the government to step in and make it easier to acquire the equipment cheaply through tax concessions," she explains.

Ojijo believes materials should be readily available and cost-effective to attract developers. "If the materials are costly and not easily accessed, this entire concept will be in limbo," he says.

The good news, however, is that there is an increasing interest in eco developments. According to Muraya, the United Nations has offered to partner with the group to put up a pilot eco-village of about 20 houses. Once successful, such developments can only spread across the country and, ultimately, preserve the country’s environment.