In the context of the recovery process from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, advancing the work on climate change remains a global imperative. Decision makers are required to design and deploy smart solutions with a view of rebulding a global community post Covid-19 that is stronger than before. 

Cooling is essential to human health and quality of life, and became more important with rapid urbanization and economies growth, and the effects of climate change. Energy needs for space cooling could triple by 2050, especially in hot and tropical countries. Residential buildings are responsible for over two thirds of this increase. Global sales of air conditioning systems per year have nearly quadrupled since 1990. This trend is set to continue and intensify, driven by rising incomes, the expected doubling of building floor area by 2060, and a warming planet with higher temperatures and more frequent heatwaves.

The recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity for countries to rebuild and recover their economy in a manner that creates pathways to transitioning into green, low emission and climate resilient society, including accelerating the uptake of green buildings and enable a supply chain of solutions for cooling that encompass both building design and efficient technologies.

The meeting will discuss new sustainable solutions for cooling that take into consideration climate impacts and new societal needs, policies that should be developed and put in place so as to optimize the use of energy and resources, challenges that prevent the private sector from investing on clean and sustainable building and contribute to transformational changes.

Special focus will be given on natural and passive cooling solutions, including the design of buildings using local knowledge, construction techniques and materials.

Moderator: Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Chairperson, Kenya Green Building Society

10:00 -10:07  |  BRIEF INTRODUCTION by the moderator and OPENING REMARKS
Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Chairperson, Kenya Green Building Society
Peter Tarfa, Member of the Advisory Board of the Climate Technology Center and Network

10:07 -10:10  |  MENTIMETER POLLING

10:10 -10:50  |  PRESENTATIONS 

•   The Nubian Vault: A solution for sustainable buildings in West Africa
     Emmanuel Bossennec, Training Team International Coordinator, The Nubian Vault Association
•   Rwanda Green Building Minimum Compliance System
     Dheeraj Arrabothu, Senior Green Building Officer, Global Green Growth Institute, Rwanda Program 
•    Cool Surfaces Project - South Africa
     Denise Lundall, Project Manager, South African National Energy Development Institute
•   Kenya Green Bond Programme: The Acorn Green Bond - case study
     Vimal Parmar, Senior Capital Markets Specialist, FSD Africa

11:50 -11:00  |  MODERATED PANEL DISCUSSION

11:00 -11:20  |  QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

11:20 -11:25  |  MENTIMETER POLLING

11:25-11:30  |  SUMMARY by the moderator and CLOSING REMARKS
Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Chairperson, Kenya Green Building Society
Monique Motty, Member of the Technology Executive Committee

UN Climate Change Meetings on Cool Buildings

UN Climate Change Meetings Highlight Cool Solutions for Buildings

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