Senegal’s First Green-Built Homes Awarded International Certification
DAKAR, SENEGAL, September 25, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The World Bank Group and the Government of Senegal, in partnership with the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, today awarded the EDGE green building certification to Senegalese property developers, Teyliom and Duo Real Estate for the first six sustainable housing developments to be built in the country.
EDGE is an international green building certification platform, developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, and was awarded to six new housing projects at a presentation ceremony held at the Pullman Hotel in Dakar. SN HLM, a third developer, is also about to complete the certification process for an additional project. The new green-built homes, the first in Senegal, will reduce energy consumption by more than 20% and avoid over 220 tons of operational CO2 per year.
Each of the new developments was designed following an intensive technical assistance training program launched in 2021 by the World Bank, the International Development Association (IDA), and IFC, in partnership with the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, aimed at local property developers, key public and private industry professionals and building specialists to build capacity in green housing techniques in Senegal’s construction sector. The program was developed and run in collaboration with Senegal’s Direction Générale de la Construction et de l'Habitat to support the Government in its sustainable building agenda and to test the deployment of EDGE in Senegal.
"In 2021 we trained 15 property developers from the private and public sectors and over 150 professionals, ministerial officials, architects, academics, engineers, bankers, and other building specialists in green housing design techniques and EDGE certification to build the capacity of players in the sector," explained IFC's Conrad Sanama, green building specialist.
Following this training, Senegalese property developers were selected and supported for over six months in pilot projects, for which three developers will receive EDGE certification for their new green-built projects. These professionals intend to perpetuate this promising initial experience.
"Even before we entered the EDGE process, we were already aware of the need to rethink the way we build in order to move towards ecological housing, but we didn't have the means or the opportunity to initiate this change. Today, we're proud to have this certification, and in our development plan, over the next 5 years, our objective is to move towards sustainable housing for 10% of our programs. The experiment we've carried out in Saint Louis will be replicated in other regions of Senegal," said Mamadou Sy Mbengue, Managing Director of SN HLM.
"This is an innovation that we intend to carry over our upcoming projects. The building sector is Senegal's second-largest energy consumer. Given the real estate boom that Dakar is experiencing, it is critical to raise awareness on the value of ecological housing," said Adja Maram Lo, Innovation Manager at DUO Real Estate, which was awarded an advanced EDGE certificate for the design of a 40-apartment mid-rise building in Dakar. This intelligent building, which uses home automation and solar energy, will reduce energy consumption by over 40%, thereby avoiding the production of 73.99 tons of CO2 per year.
The sustainable projects, ranging from social housing to high-end buildings, have prompted developers to change their habits, innovate, and above all, take up the challenge of adaptation. "In our country, a lot of housing is unsuited to the climate, and people often cannot afford air conditioning," said Mamadou Sy Mbengue, Managing Director of SN HLM.
"We're really pleased with this project, because the EDGE tools are so innovative and easy to use. We even have trained professionals who have become EDGE experts. Senegal is committed at international level to contributing to the fight against climate change, and the promotion of sustainable building is one of the important actions we are taking," said Boubacar DANGNOKHO, Civil Engineer and Inspector General of Buildings at the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Public Hygiene.
At today’s ceremony, the Ministry presented some of the Government's actions underway to promote the development of green construction in Senegal, such as the transposition into Senegalese law of the WAEMU directive laying down energy efficiency measures in the construction of buildings in member states, the draft new construction code introducing criteria to promote energy savings in buildings, and the low-carbon cement standard currently being validated.
EDGE is an international green building certification platform, developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, and was awarded to six new housing projects at a presentation ceremony held at the Pullman Hotel in Dakar. SN HLM, a third developer, is also about to complete the certification process for an additional project. The new green-built homes, the first in Senegal, will reduce energy consumption by more than 20% and avoid over 220 tons of operational CO2 per year.
Each of the new developments was designed following an intensive technical assistance training program launched in 2021 by the World Bank, the International Development Association (IDA), and IFC, in partnership with the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, aimed at local property developers, key public and private industry professionals and building specialists to build capacity in green housing techniques in Senegal’s construction sector. The program was developed and run in collaboration with Senegal’s Direction Générale de la Construction et de l'Habitat to support the Government in its sustainable building agenda and to test the deployment of EDGE in Senegal.
"In 2021 we trained 15 property developers from the private and public sectors and over 150 professionals, ministerial officials, architects, academics, engineers, bankers, and other building specialists in green housing design techniques and EDGE certification to build the capacity of players in the sector," explained IFC's Conrad Sanama, green building specialist.
Following this training, Senegalese property developers were selected and supported for over six months in pilot projects, for which three developers will receive EDGE certification for their new green-built projects. These professionals intend to perpetuate this promising initial experience.
"Even before we entered the EDGE process, we were already aware of the need to rethink the way we build in order to move towards ecological housing, but we didn't have the means or the opportunity to initiate this change. Today, we're proud to have this certification, and in our development plan, over the next 5 years, our objective is to move towards sustainable housing for 10% of our programs. The experiment we've carried out in Saint Louis will be replicated in other regions of Senegal," said Mamadou Sy Mbengue, Managing Director of SN HLM.
"This is an innovation that we intend to carry over our upcoming projects. The building sector is Senegal's second-largest energy consumer. Given the real estate boom that Dakar is experiencing, it is critical to raise awareness on the value of ecological housing," said Adja Maram Lo, Innovation Manager at DUO Real Estate, which was awarded an advanced EDGE certificate for the design of a 40-apartment mid-rise building in Dakar. This intelligent building, which uses home automation and solar energy, will reduce energy consumption by over 40%, thereby avoiding the production of 73.99 tons of CO2 per year.
The sustainable projects, ranging from social housing to high-end buildings, have prompted developers to change their habits, innovate, and above all, take up the challenge of adaptation. "In our country, a lot of housing is unsuited to the climate, and people often cannot afford air conditioning," said Mamadou Sy Mbengue, Managing Director of SN HLM.
"We're really pleased with this project, because the EDGE tools are so innovative and easy to use. We even have trained professionals who have become EDGE experts. Senegal is committed at international level to contributing to the fight against climate change, and the promotion of sustainable building is one of the important actions we are taking," said Boubacar DANGNOKHO, Civil Engineer and Inspector General of Buildings at the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Public Hygiene.
At today’s ceremony, the Ministry presented some of the Government's actions underway to promote the development of green construction in Senegal, such as the transposition into Senegalese law of the WAEMU directive laying down energy efficiency measures in the construction of buildings in member states, the draft new construction code introducing criteria to promote energy savings in buildings, and the low-carbon cement standard currently being validated.
Sofía Costa Navarro
Gong Communications
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