18 May 2011: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved a joint UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)/UN Environment Programme (UNEP) project that aims to promote energy efficiency measures in the building sector in East Africa in order to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The project is based on the fact that over 40% of national energy consumption in developing countries is estimated to be used in urban buildings, and that demand for electricity is estimated to be increasing faster than the supply and generation capacity. The four-year project will be operational in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi to promote energy efficiency measures into housing policies, building codes, and building practices in East Africa. It will assist these Governments in: establishing energy consumption benchmarks for buildings; creating a climatic database to be used for passive building design; and mainstreaming energy efficient standards in building codes. The project will also involve the promotion of awareness raising and capacity building in energy efficiency and best practices in the building sector.

The project, which will run from 2011 to 2015, will be executed by UN-HABITAT in association with the national ministries of housing in the five partner countries. [UN-HABITAT Press Release] [UN-HABITAT and UNEP Joint Project]