THE National Housing and Social Amenities ministry is lobbying for implementation of green buildings in the country to promote energy efficiency.
Green buildings include use of structures and the application of processes that are environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient throughout a building’s lifecycle; from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.
Speaking at a stakeholders awareness workshop on net metering and energy efficiency last week in Bulawayo, an official from the National Housing and Social Amenities ministry Joy Makumbe said it was imperative for the country to embrace the concept of green buildings.
“They encourage the use of eco-friendly and plant renewable building materials and they also enhance the natural environment and reduce air pollution and minimise green gas emissions, thereby slowing down global warming,” Makumbe said.
He said green buildings are ideal despite that they are not easy to set up.
“They have initial high construction costs, we have to have a high capital injection as costs are high at the onset, but the advantages will follow in the long run. There are also technological constraints as the unavailability of green construction materials is still work in progress in the country.”
Makumbe said green buildings are sustainable infrastructure as they are planned, well designed, constructed and maintained in a manner that ensures economic, social, financial, environmental and institutional sustainability over the entire infrastructure’s life cycle.
“Government has made plans to promote green buildings in the country, where it has expressed its commitment to address climate change through policy documents that seek to adopt measures that promote progressive national economic development. The ministry has further urged local councils to implement policies that promote green buildings.”
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Makumbe said urban and peri-urban policies should promote design of green buildings across the board, while councils must come up with policies to implement green buildings.
