The History of Rwandan Architecture 4- The last chapter

The Rwandan government is devoted to establishing guidelines for sustainable urban development and is committed to achieving global objectives. integrating green building and design, efficient and renewable energy, recycling, and inclusive living using a holistic approach.

What is the Green Building?

A "green building" is a naturally occurring, environmentally friendly structure that uses resources like water, energy, and materials wisely while also requiring less upkeep. The energy efficiency of a green building is increased, as is the amount of water used, and the amount of recycled, recyclable, and non-toxic materials used.

The features of the green building

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that in 2015, buildings were responsible for 28% of global CO2 emissions and 30% of final energy consumption worldwide. According to UN-Habitat, buildings in Africa use approximately 56% of the continent's total electricity consumption.

The Nobelia Office Tower in Kigali, which received the first Green Star rating in the nation—a 6-Star Green Star SA-Rwanda-Office v1 Design rating for shell and core—is the most notable example of a green building.

I&M Bank

In contrast to typical city construction designs that include glass, which generate heat and require the use of a lot of air conditioning to cool the premises, locally made Ruliba bricks were used in the building because they reduce heat generation inside the structure.

Concave window installations are another design feature that is intended to reflect heat from direct sunlight away from the building. In this way, the brick and glazing design help to cool the interior of the building without using a lot of air conditioning.

The roofing style is distinctive to Kigali, and in addition to giving the city a beautiful skyline, it has green design elements. Natural light can enter the center of the two tower blocks of the building design because the central portion of the roof is relatively transparent.

Additionally, solar panels are being installed on the roof. This will allow the bank to use solar energy resources.

The building's drainage system has been created in such a way that rainwater can be drained from it into a holding tank with a treatment facility, where it can be transformed into completely potable water (including drinking water) for use inside the structure.

The government of Rwanda also funds a wide range of initiatives, including:

The Green City of Kigali

It is a pioneering concept responding to emerging global issues. Africa’s cities are rapidly growing. The United Nations expects the continent’s population to double by 2050, most of which will be concentrated in urban areas. Addressing this tendency is both a challenge and an opportunity, as many move to the city in the hope of finding employment and better living conditions. It is key that these trends do not lead to further growing inequalities, poverty, and environmental degradation.

It will be located on 600 ha of land, with goals to become carbon-neutral by 2050, build about 30.000 housing units, provide assistance to about 150.000 direct beneficiaries, and eventually generate about 16,000 jobs.