A Look at Rwanda's Cost-Effective Green Buildings

Green building, a resource-efficient method of construction that produces healthier buildings which have less impact on the environment and cost less to maintain, involves the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle.

Costs mostly depend on the type of green building certification the client decides to use, according to Yves Sangwa, the Chief Executive of Rwanda Green Building Organization, an NGO that aims to develop the local green building industry.

Green building goes beyond just having solar panels to enhance and protect the environment; it also has a significant impact on people - green building aims to reduce the environmental impact of buildings while also improving the health and well-being of occupants.

Green buildings promote energy and water efficiency, take advantage of the ambient climate, reduce the need for air-conditioning usage, maximise natural ventilation and use sustainable and locally manufactured materials, reports The New Times.