Building a sustainable future: Unlocking Africa's potential in the construction industry

Date: Thursday 7​ September 2023

Time: 2:00pm - 3:15pm EAT

Location: Aberdares Hall, Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)

This is an Africa Climate Week 2023 Action Track event. Live streaming link. 

With its population set to double by 2050, and more than 70% of existing building stock in 2040 still to be built, Africa is one of the fastest-growing continents. This presents significant challenges, as buildings contribute to 61% of Africa's final energy consumption and 32% of CO2 emissions. Additionally, the current resilience of buildings against the impacts of climate change is low, as more than 50% of African citizens are living in informal housing. The way buildings are designed, constructed and used today therefore has crucial impacts not only on the climate, but also on the lives of current and future generations. 

This event aims to provide the keys to transformative change in Africa’s construction sector, highlighting that while there is no one-size-fits-all answer when addressing the future building demands in the continent, traditional sustainable construction practices should be preserved and further developed to enable affordable and climate-adaptable housing.

Explore UNEP's full list of activities during Africa Climate Week/Africa Climate Summit 2023.