Zambia Green Jobs Programme

Government officials trained in Green Building Practices and Technologies

The National Council for Construction (NCC) in partnership with the Zambia Green Jobs Programme, has successfully conducted a training workshop on green building practices and technologies targeting planners, architects and engineers to enhance skills and appreciation for green construction as well as building institutional capacity.

News | Lusaka, Zambia | 14 May 2015
Contact(s): Zambia Green Jobs Programme (ZGJP), Ms Musoli JM Kashinga musoli.kashinga@unep.org
The greening of the building construction sector in Zambia is gaining momentum. The recent establishment of the Zambia Green Building Association (ZGBA) and several key actors in the building construction sector initiating and considering green building property developments are testimony to a changing building landscape in Zambia, allowing for an inclusive green growth to take off.
 
The Government in partnership with the UN Zambia, through the Zambia Green Jobs Programme (ZGJP), has taken the approach of providing a supportive and enabling policy, legislative and regulatory framework that will stimulate demand for green building construction principles and materials. In this vein, the Sustainable Built Environment Training Workshop which took place between May 11 -13, with participants drawn from all the ten provinces in Zambia, provided a platform for the implementers of such changes to be trained, skilled and re-skilled. In addition, the training was designed to promote leadership amongst the participants to apply green building principles as part of their official duties as planners, engineers and architects and hence promote the use of sustainable practices.
 
Government emphasis on sustainable economic development was reflected in the opening speech of the Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Hon. Yamfwa Mukanga, who noted that the construction industry has great potential to support economic, social and environmentally sustainable practices that will ensure sustainable development. But for this to happen, he called for change in construction practices in order to protect and preserve the environment for future generations as this approach has become a necessity.
 
NCC Director, Engineer Mushota, stated in his opening remarks that NCC is looking for ways of influencing laws and regulations to provide incentives on the use of greener building methods, materials and services and strengthening the enforcement of unsustainable/harmful building practices.
 
Mr. Tapera Muzira, Chief Technical Advisor, ZGJP, emphasised the principle behind the creation of green jobs within an enabling environment as well as the important role of professionals as drivers of change.

The workshop included presentations covering topics ranging from sustainable construction technologies and sustainable urban planning, to economic performance of green buildings as well as practical exercises based on selected sites in Lusaka. Particular focus was put on enhancing technical know-how and appreciation of green building principles of the participants, representing government planning agencies that are key in shaping the regulatory framework and to stimulate the uptake of green construction in the Zambian building construction sector. The workshop participants interacted with experts from South Africa and Kenya who shared their expertise on the relevance of green building principles for their daily practice, making the training not only educative, but also stimulating and a basis for good professional practice and served as a tool for awareness raising and capacity building.
 
The next steps planned are to produce manuals to accompany the training materials. The manuals, which will ensure that sustainability training is better entrenched in the training system for all categories of actors in the construction industry, will be developed with the technical support from the ZGJP. In addition, other forms of learning will be supported such as e-learning platforms for an increased outreach.
 
The workshop concluded with a pledge by the 44 trained professionals to entrench sustainability at personal level as way of life and living.

More Information

National Council for Construction (NCC)
Ms Prudence Mushota Tembo/Mr Chance Kaonga
The Project Manager/Training Manager

E-mail: ckaonga@ncc.org.zm; pmtembo@ncc.org.zm