This study seeks to explore the policy and institutional frameworks including regulations and standards in promoting sustainability. The paper reports an on-going study on how policies, regulations and standards promotes adoption of sustainable building materials and technologies in relation to utilization of location specific materials and their effects on carbon sequestration potential of the natural ecosystem. The study set to establish the building materials sustainability selection criteria techniques, and supporting policies and institutional frameworks. There are 14 sustainability selection techniques available for application by built environment practitioners. Over 20 policies exists in Kenya that addresses climate change, built environment and urbanization against which to evaluate uptake and effectiveness of building materials sustainability selection criteria techniques. This study is purposive in nature as such, key informant questionnaire assisted tool was used. Our findings demonstrate that 77.4% sampled built environment practitioners did not appreciate that current policies adequately support adoption of emerging building technologies. There is low uptake coupled with ineffective sustainability selection criteria techniques. The study recommends review of existing legislations to accommodate emerging technologies and selection criteria tools, financing of pilot projects, standardization of building materials sustainability selection criteria techniques, training and sensitization, and inventory of building materials and sources.
Demand for building materials and products has increased considerably with the rapid growth of population thereby affecting the carbon sequestration ability of the natural environment. Traditionally, data on building materials use, energy expenditure in their sourcing and processing, and carbon dioxide equivalent generated are lacking in developing countries. The focus of this report, being part of an ongoing study is that direct impact on environment occurs at various stages in the building material usage especially at the extraction and production stages for which energy is expended. Environmental products such as soil, water and timber which are the main carbon sequesters are exploited during the manufacture / or processing of dominant building technologies in Migori thus affecting carbon sequestration potential of the natural ecosystems. The awareness levels amongst the population on energy and resource efficiency in building construction is grossly limited. The Geographical Information System (GIS) on spatial analysis of proximity and neighbourhood tools demonstrated the emerging patterns in terms of soil, water and forest/grass disturbances resulting from the activities of building construction. The ultimate goal is to facilitate formulation of energy efficiency building codes, green building guidelines, improvement of climate change strategy and Action Plan towards Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) enhancement as well as improve knowledge in the relationship between climate change, building and ecosystem linkages between soil, water and forest cover.
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