AAK convened its first partner workshop under the Finance Accelerator Programme at the Fairview Hotel, Nairobi in collaboration with the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN). The workshop, themed “Unlocking Green Finance for Built Environment Professionals,” sought to build a shared understanding of the critical role of green finance in accelerating investment in low-emission buildings and retrofits.
The Finance Accelerator Programme aims to catalyze targeted funding by 2030 to deliver the first wave of low-emission buildings and retrofits, unlocking 1.5 MtCO₂ – equivalent to 47% of Kenya’s 3.2 MtCO₂ emissions reduction target for the buildings and construction sector.
The workshop provided a platform for United for Access and Health (UHAI) coalition stakeholders to explore pathways for developing a pipeline of bankable green projects, reducing investment risks, and strengthening market confidence.
Discussions highlighted a key challenge within the market: despite the availability of capital and a substantial pipeline of development projects, many projects struggle to attract green financing due to inadequate documentation, limited certification, and a lack of demonstrated bankability. Also emphasized was the importance of contextualizing external green certification systems to better reflect local realities. Drawing lessons from countries such as India and Egypt, stakeholders explored opportunities to adapt global certification frameworks to Kenya’s diverse climatic and regional contexts while maintaining international credibility.
The afternoon session featured a presentation on strategies for reducing the cost of green developments through design decisions, material selection, technological adoption, certification pathways, procurement approaches, and innovative financing mechanisms. Participants underscored the need to debunk the perception that green buildings are inherently more expensive than conventional developments. It was noted that this perception is often driven by limited building performance data, which in turn affects investor confidence and the ability of financial institutions to assess project bankability.
The discussions also highlighted the need for financial products tailored to Kenya’s unique housing market, particularly the incremental manner in which many households finance and construct their homes. The workshop concluded with a co-creation session informed by insights gathered through the Barrier Analysis Survey. The outcomes of the discussions will contribute to the development of the Barrier Analysis and Finance Landscape Report, which will be jointly fed by input from the UHAI Coalition partner workshops.
The report will help identify priority interventions needed to unlock investment and scale green finance across the industry, while supporting the implementation of the priority actions outlined in Kenya's Buildings and Construction Decarbonization Roadmap.