UN office in Nairobi sets pace in green design

Unep’s headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi, has been designed as a model for other buildings. The offices are the airy walkways full of plants, coupled with natural lighting coming down through the central atrium that runs the entire length of the building.

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), buildings are responsible for a third of global energy use and contribute a large portion of greenhouse emissions.

Estimates suggest that by the year 2020, these emissions will rise to 11.1 billion tonnes. Interestingly, the manufacture of construction materials has been cited as a key contributor to the high rise of carbon emissions.