A case for building green

Prashant Kapoor, chief industry specialist on green buildings at International Finance Corporation speaking at a green building seminar in Nairobi on March 14, 2018. [Peter Muiruri, Standard]

Imagine living in a building where you are constantly sick though the exact cause of illness cannot be identified. Building experts call this the ‘sick building syndrome’, a situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to the time spent in the building. The only cure, they say, is to live in a green, or sustainable building.

Beyond the health benefits, developers and building owners have been mulling over the business case of going green. In addition, there is the never-ending cycle of who takes responsibility for going green.