Africa Logistics Properties (ALP) has announced plans to attain net zero status within the next 9 years. The announcement was made by Maruza Chikwanha, ALP’S Development director while hosting a delegation from the Kenya Green Building Society for a tour around ALP North.
ALP North is the first industrial development in Africa to receive IFC Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification for initiatives that reduce ALP’s warehouses resource usage by up to 40%.
Speaking during the tour, Mr. Chikwanha noted, “We are really excited to host the Kenya Green Building Society. We have set plans in motion to be the first signatory in Kenya to sign up to the World Green Building Council’s net zero building commitment initiative. We are looking at our entire portfolio, and all new developments that we undertake from now on and our target is to get to net zero within the next nine years.”
He further noted that the savings made on utilities are significant enough to offset the additional capital outlay required to develop sustainable industrial properties. ALP North exceeds the 20% target set within the IFC EDGE certification platform by saving at least 41% on energy, 52% on water usage, and 50% on the energy embedded in the building materials.
On his part, Louis Kariuki, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Kenya Green Building Society, lauded ALP’s leadership by saying, “During the design and construction phase, ALP included aspects of sustainability that leverage renewable energy, using natural light to reduce energy usage, and reducing their usage of water. It is everyone’s responsibility to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Initiatives such as green bonds will help developers invest in green projects, while green policies at national and county level will help more people understand the importance of building green.”
According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are responsible for 38% of global energy-related carbon emission.
President Uhuru Kenyatta recently reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to pursuing green development by stating that Kenya is on track to achieving a 32% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.