ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia- Celia Martinez, a Programme Management Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has urged African countries to develop and share best practices for the implementation and enforcement of energy efficiency building codes.
Speaking on the sidelines of the African Energy Efficiency Conference (AFEEC) on Tuesday, 9th December, Martinez, who leads sustainable buildings projects for UNEP in Africa, emphasised that while many nations are advancing codes, enforcement remains a widespread challenge.
Martinez explained that she is part of a team working on sustainable buildings and currently manages projects in Ghana and Senegal focused on developing climate action roadmaps for buildings and construction.
In close partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ’s) Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEBS) programme, UNEP delivered a pre-conference training at the event, where Martinez led sessions on creating climate roadmaps and addressed hurdles in implementing building codes.
“We had a very interesting discussion yesterday. Many African countries are in the process of developing building codes, some are updating existing ones, and others aspire to establish codes for the first time. All are sharing experiences and challenges, particularly around enforcement,” Martinez noted.
As to why some countries have yet to fully embrace building codes, Martinez clarified: “They all would like to have a building code, with Ethiopia, for example, is now forming a committee to develop one. Often, it’s a question of capacity, either at the national level to draft regulations, or at the local level where policies are enforced.”
She also pointed out that municipalities need the resources to deliver permits, conduct audits, and ensure compliance. Coupled with those, Martinez highlighted the need for greater awareness and involvement of architects and real estate developers in the process.
On the provision of climate financial support to African Member States, UNEP, she explained, is currently supporting Ghana and Senegal in developing building-related regulations, while GIZ’s PEEBS programme is assisting other countries with financing and capacity building.
Regarding Bioclimatic Architecture, an approach tailored to local climate conditions, Martinez observed strong interest among member states.
“Many countries expressed interest in incorporating bioclimatic design into codes. Senegal, Tunisia, and Djibouti are already exploring it,” she said, adding that UNEP recently held a bioclimatic design training in Senegal.
She acknowledged the complexity of the approach, noting that in countries like Ethiopia with multiple climate zones, designs must be adapted regionally. “But countries agree it is the way forward, especially to reduce energy demand for cooling.”
According to Martinez, the main challenge cited by the energy stakeholders was enforcement.
“Having regulations is one thing; implementing them is another. There was also a clear call for more awareness-raising and capacity building for architects and developers,” Martinez observed.
