Stakeholders have emphasized that investing in renewable energy and green building initiatives is not just an economic decision but also a human rights investment, which has the potential to promote a circular economy, generate employment opportunities, protect the environment, and ensure sustainable development in Nigeria.
The importance of active engagement of financial resources has also been underscored to enhance the well-being of the nation.
These points were emphasized during the Future Cities Summit 2023, organized by the Green Building Council Nigeria (GBCN) in partnership with Edge and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) World Bank, held in Abuja on Wednesday.
In his keynote address, Mr. Danjuma Waniko, the President of GBCN, stated that the summit aimed to bring stakeholders together to discuss the current state of the Nigerian building environment and chart a course for future engagement.
Mr. Waniko reiterated that green buildings play a vital role in reducing the negative impact on the environment. The built environment, comprising buildings and infrastructure, is a significant contributor to climate change, environmental pollution, and resource depletion. Green building practices, such as energy efficiency, can help minimize these adverse effects by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and resource consumption.
Addressing the recurrent issue of building collapses in Nigeria, Mr. Waniko highlighted that green buildings can mitigate such problems. Using green materials of higher quality and engaging professional expertise can significantly decrease the likelihood of building collapses.
Speaking at the summit, the Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai, represented by the Former Commissioner of Kaduna State Capital Authority, stressed the need for Nigeria to prioritize energy efficiency for sustainable development. Conserving resources and adopting energy-efficient practices would enable the country to address its housing deficit effectively.
Furthermore, Mr. Muhammed Aliyu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, emphasized the importance of broadening stakeholder engagement and influencing governments to implement sustainable policies that align with the purpose of the gathering.
The Future Cities Summit was a significant event attended by green building councils from countries with a combined population of over 700 million people. In 2022, these councils collaborated to develop the Africa Manifesto for Sustainable Cities & the Built Environment, aiming to enhance economic, social, and climate resilience and work toward a 1.5-degree Celsius future for the continent.
The summit addressed critical aspects related to energy, water, materials, finance, and infrastructure in the context of sustainable development:
ENERGY:
Implementing and enforcing green building policies and codes that prioritize energy efficiency and performance-based metrics to ensure buildings operate efficiently in their respective climates.
Including building decarbonization targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Locally Determined Contributions (LDCs) across Africa.
Developing a Net Zero Carbon Roadmap for all buildings, with a focus on minimum energy performance standards and energy performance certificates.
Increasing the share of renewable energy in centralized and decentralized grids through incentives and schemes like Feed-In-Tariffs and Public Private Partnerships.
WATER:
Mandating water efficiency measures in building codes and standards, integrating nature-based solutions, water circularity principles, and implementing a Net Zero Water Roadmap for all buildings.
Encouraging investments in water infrastructure to ensure access to clean, safe, and affordable water for all Africans.
Developing Urban Climate Action Plans and climate disaster risk assessments to address climate-induced flooding and water-borne diseases.
MATERIALS:
Promoting the use of low-cost, low-carbon, and ethically-sourced building materials through life cycle assessment in national building codes and regulations.
Implementing Green Procurement Policies, informal materials recovery, and material reclamation stations.
Developing a Circular Economy Roadmap for Buildings to encourage sustainable design, construction, and operations.
FINANCE:
Establishing a common international taxonomy for sustainable finance in collaboration with international and African financial institutions and investors.
Facilitating access to sustainable finance for green building projects through the accreditation of Green Building Councils and certification schemes.
Providing inclusive and equitable sustainable finance instruments while increasing the technical capacity of sustainable finance specialists and MSMEs.
Increasing availability of climate and sustainable finance to mitigate building and infrastructure loss and damage.
Incentivizing the provision of green mortgages for all income brackets and de-risking green building financial instruments.
INFRASTRUCTURE:
Implementing Clean Construction principles and climate resilience planning at the city scale.
Supporting nature-based solutions to protect people, optimize infrastructure, and safeguard a biodiverse future.
Promoting non-motorized and public transport with electric vehicle charging points to decarbonize transport emissions.
Implementing Sustainable Infrastructure Principles for the low-carbon maintenance of existing infrastructure, especially in vulnerable settlements.
Investing in the upgrading of informal settlements and slums to formal housing to ensure equitable access to infrastructure and services for every African.
