Kenya Green Building Society in conjunction with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Financial Sector Deepening Kenya convened at the launch of the Jenga Green Library phone application at Westland this Wednesday.
Jenga Green Library is a phone application created and now is available on both the Appstore and the play store to cater to apple and android users nationwide and globally.
The Jenga Green Library is a one-stop shop for displaying the entire supply chain of sustainable building materials and services, including suppliers, dealers, retailers, service providers, and sustainable building consultants.
It is available in 3 formats: Web Application – http://jengagreenlibrary.com/directory; Android Mobile Application –
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=angavu.kgbs.com; and IOS Mobile Application –
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jenga-green-library/id159108514; to cater to users nationwide and globally.
It is an initiative toward growth in the use of efficient materials in the built environment while also promoting regenerative sustainability.
The library offers a platform for all stakeholders in the construction industry to access green building products.
One can easily go through the products and services listed in the Jenga Green Library by selecting various categories; interior flooring, exterior flooring, etc. where products and services are listed appropriately.
Additionally, the library is quite user-friendly enabling easy user interaction which enables easy access to materials on demand. Each product specification is clearly stated, including the content of the product and the best temperatures for use in each case.
The launch ceremony was graced by several diverse companies who exhibited sustainable building products and services hosted in the library, including, Space and Style, Mapei Ltd, Plastiki Rafiki, Mianzi Designs, and Galaxy Paints to name a few.
Mr. Ted Otieno, the KGBS Chairperson, urged for the continuous and deliberate sharing of sustainable building information because it is affordable in the long run and upholds the goal of healthy and sustainable buildings.
KGBS Chairman Ted Otieno
Mrs. Cecilia, the Executive Director of the Center for Science and Technology Innovations(CSTI), advocates for these measures to be taken by consumers since they are mostly the people involved in construction. This ensures that climate change is combated effectively in this race for vision 2030.
Mr. Kurt Shapiro, the ISK Plastiki Rafiki representative raised concerns that several consumers spoke of, such as a lack of assurance in efficient innovative products, which leads consumers to go for the conventional products such as cement, stone, and bricks when there is an alternative to utilize lighter, more durable and affordable products for construction.
Through the use of the green building products in buildings, there is an expected mind shift from the conventional style to an appropriate means of building that will have the Kenya Bureau of standards label for certification to the buyers.
Ms. Jane Waiyaki, head of sustainability & responsible business partnerships at Absa Bank, stated that they were in support of Green Building and that Absa Bank is providing incentives to green building projects as a means of achieving a free climate erratic zone, in an effort to combat the ongoing climate change as the world keeps getting warmer.
FSD Kenya, the sponsor of the Jenga Green Library, aims to provide long-term solutions to housing and health issues, and thus collaborates with organizations such as the Kenya Women Finance Trust to achieve this goal.
Using the Mukuru area as an example, there are several settlements that are mostly rented out to people who do not have a minimum number of pit latrines.
This is a major issue, especially since data statistics show that the majority of settlements in the 47 counties prefer and use pit latrines.
Panelists engage in an Enlightening Discussion
KGBS emphasizes the importance of product buyers always requesting datasheets for each and every product. This is intended to help deal with counterfeits while also ensuring the safety of builders and homeowners in general.
KGBS has begun projects in various counties, including Laikipia, Homabay, and Nakuru, and is on its way to working with all counties to achieve an eco-friendly environment.
A call to the government is made to implement policies that will promote building green and having an inclusive agenda through partnerships, as well as endorsing the use of sustainable products in the construction of governmental structures such as the new classrooms for the education plan that is currently being implemented, assuring that high-quality, non-toxic, and healthy products are used in the construction.
MAPEI, a company founded in the 1930s, was also present at the event and urged the use of low-carbon-emitting products.
These are mostly materials that have been tested and certified to ensure proven quality.
This sustainable building aims to reduce global warming by taking into account an appropriate way of building in the modern world.
