Kenya is working to turn its fast-growing construction sector into a major destination for climate finance, as government and industry push for tougher standards, cleaner materials and new funding routes.
The effort comes as the country faces mounting climate pressures, including flooding, extreme heat, water stress and damaged infrastructure.
At the same time, demand for housing, commercial property and public facilities continues to climb.
The Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) has launched the Kenya Sustainable and Resilient Built Environment Projects and Solutions Repository, a national platform designed to raise the profile of green projects, products, technologies and investment opportunities.
It was unveiled at the KGBS Annual Conference 2026, themed “Kenya’s Green Transformation: Financing Innovation for Resilient Cities and Economies”.
The event drew government agencies, banks, developers, manufacturers, investors, academics, professional bodies and development partners.
Their task was to explore how policy, finance, industry and delivery can work together to speed up the country’s green transition.
Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno said Kenya must avoid decisions that lock cities and communities into greater climate risk and inefficient infrastructure.
He said urbanisation and population growth are driving demand for new buildings, and that the market must go beyond labelling projects as green by showing real results, such as emissions cut, energy and water saved, resilience gained and jobs created.
Officials say the strategy targets two sources of emissions: those from operating buildings and those embedded in producing and transporting construction materials.
Measures include improving energy and water efficiency, adding renewable energy, strengthening climate-resilient design and protecting urban ecosystems.
The approach also draws cement, steel and transport into the climate conversation.
A central aim of the repository is to close the gap between sustainable projects and the capital needed to build them.
It will list three categories: certified green projects, non-certified projects working towards sustainability, and products and solutions that support resilience and decarbonisation.
Where data exists, entries will show investment value, emissions reductions, energy and water performance, renewable capacity, jobs created, beneficiaries and adaptation outcomes.
The first phase will build engagement in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Lamu and Laikipia, giving county-level visibility to projects in those areas.
KGBS has also produced a position paper titled “From Certification to Capital” and it examines how standards, certification and verified performance data can help projects qualify for finance and be assessed for risk.
The thinking is that better information on a building’s energy use, water efficiency, emissions and resilience helps lenders and investors decide with more confidence.
A remaining challenge is making sure data submitted to the platform is reliable, comparable and regularly updated.
Government is also considering public procurement as a way to build demand for sustainable construction goods and services.
Experts say predictable public demand could encourage manufacturers to invest in cleaner production and better-performing materials.
The agenda extends to affordable housing, urban regeneration, industrial parks and existing buildings.
Green construction has often been tied to premium developments able to absorb the costs of certification and specialised design.
KGBS wants to widen access by creating routes for public infrastructure, affordable housing, manufacturers and developers that have not yet earned certification but plan to improve.
Supporting this work is Building the Transition, a KGBS programme backed by the World Green Building Council.
In Kenya it covers four areas: policy and standards; materials, industry and decarbonisation; finance, risk and investment; and development, housing and implementation.
Priorities from the conference include wider participation in the repository, continued work on policy and standards, deeper talks with financial institutions on green finance and risk, more visibility for lower-carbon materials, and practical routes for sustainable development.
KGBS plans to use the outcomes to shape a coordinated 2027 action plan.
KGBS chief executive Nasra Nanda said the country needs to move past isolated sustainability discussions towards implementation systems that link standards, finance, materials, procurement and delivery.
Ng’eno challenged stakeholders to consider which regulatory barriers should be removed, what evidence unlocks investment, which projects are ready to scale and what each institution can contribute.
Ultimately, the drive’s success will depend on whether green projects move from conference pledges into construction, financing and measurable benefits for communities.
As Ng’eno states: “If we answer these questions honestly and act collectively, the built environment can become one of Kenya’s most important platforms for climate implementation.”
