Niko Green: Enabling circular and sustainable construction

University of Nairobi’s Department of Architecture is part of a multidisciplinary team involved in Niko Green Waste Company’s Endelevu Africa project.  This project has planned to construct a safe and climate friendly Crèche at the University of Nairobi.

This was revealed when a team from Endelevu Africa Project paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, UoN, Prof. Stephen Kiama on Monday, September 27, 2021.

Endelevu Africa is a project geared towards addressing the waste challenge from the construction sector. The project will take advantage of an online material bank and matchmaking platform to coordinate the supply and demand of recycled and surplus construction materials in Kenya.  These construction projects will use high-quality low-cost recycled and surplus building materials in the best and fastest way possible.  The goal is to repurpose construction waste while utilizing green building technologies.

This will be done by designing out waste and pollution through an accurate digital material estimator, keeping products in using a digital reuse market and rebuild communities through CSR initiatives that utilize digital construction crowd funding.

The materials that will be used in the digital reuse market include construction and demolition debris, excess stock held by contractors, suppliers and manufacturers as well as redundant assets from building operation. Reducing waste by utilizing construction waste will make the building industry more circular offering clients an opportunity to save money, lower negative environmental impacts and contribute to sustainable local economic development.

This project will go a long way in addressing the mismatch of skills acquired by graduates and what the industry requires by building the capacity of University of Nairobi students especially those undertaking engineering and architectural courses. The architecture and engineering students will acquire hands-on experience with regards to sustainability in construction and green building technologies.

Endelevu will also bridge the social infrastructure gaps in Kenya by utilizing crowd funding initiatives to address challenges such as overcrowding in schools and lack of proper facilities to cater to persons with disabilities.

Some of the ongoing social infrastructure initiatives are: an administration and tuition block at Kandaria Mixed Secondary School, reading and dining spaces at Sigoti Complex Girls Secondary School, asbestos removal and reroofing at Makongeni Primary School and construction of sanitation facilities at Sigoti Complex Girls Secondary Schools.