Real estate firms have been asked to play a role in bridging the conflict between the environment and human settlement even as efforts are made towards climate change.
This follows the first successful African Climate Summit held in Kenya.
President William Samoei Ruto led other African and International states in a much-needed conversation on resourceful collaborations between countries, and the public and private sectors to arrest the negative impacts of climate change.
Finsco Kenya has now called for real estate action towards the management of climate.
“As one of the key players of real estate in Kenya, I must admit that we do contribute largely towards the settlement of people through our development and construction projects which can sometimes conflict with our environment,” John Mwaura, the CEO of Finsco Africa stated.
“However, the real estate industry is progressing towards embracing green building solutions to ensure that we are actively participating in protecting, conserving and sustaining our environment, lands and climate.”
Mwaura noted that Finsco Africa has dedicated funds towards its research department to understand and advise the firm on more sustainable and green building solutions.
This is in line with the government’s agenda Of the Financing locally-led climate change (FLLoCA) programme launched by the president to fund counties for climate resilience projects.
“One of the counties amongst the 44 counties that are to benefit from the FLLoCA fund is Muranga county where we have one of a prime project called Thika Groove Chania estate,” Mwaura remarked.
He emphasized that partnerships between the national and county governments and private developers are instrumental in achieving the climate change management agenda.
Mwaura said they have previously launched all its projects with tree planting events in their projects like the Legacy Ridges Project and the Riverline Ridges Project in Kiambu County in a bid to facilitate civic education on climate change management to their staff, investors and stakeholders.
He further asked the real estate industry to embrace and adapt climate change management solutions in the construction and real estate industry to adapt to the current needs of the environment.
“It is important for the real estate industry to align itself with the government’s agenda of climate change to avoid being highlighted as a risk to the environment in their bid to provide housing solutions to Kenyans” Mwaura concluded.
Source: THE STAR