Architects in Kenya work with the fact that buildings need to properly respond to the energy needs least upon them. Provisions for energy efficiency must adequately be considered right from the conceptualisation of a building. When architects are discussing the program with their respective clients, they ought to consider these provisions as being vital and necessary to be integrated within the building.

Energy efficiency in buildings done by architects in Kenya

When negotiating the brief with the client, aspects of sustainability should be discussed has been part and parcel of the proposed building. They should not be considered as an add-in later on when the building has already been constructed. Successful integration of these facilities are early on in the design will result in better provisions being made and design decisions that we save the client a lot of money later on.

Architects in Kenya must consider how energy is expended within buildings to seek energy efficiency

Energy is consumed in buildings in a number of ways. Right from the point that one enters a building, there are numerous energy requirements placed to be able to achieve a comfortable existence within the building. Architects consider matters such as lighting, heating, and ensuring airflow within the building has been part of the buildings requirements for its proper function. Therefore for example, when things such as heating of rooms is not adequate for human comfort, the architect must consider how to heat up the spaces. Inevitably this process has an energy implication. If a space has not got sufficient light to carry out a certain activity, the lighting levels have got to be enhanced. This may mean having to reflect natural light into the space, or simply propagation of light fittings that will help to enhance the light levels within that space. As with the other example, this shall call for energy use. Should the space suffer from poor ventilation, there is no other option than to enhance the flow of air within the rooms. This calls for mechanical ventilation or any means of causing the air to move within the space rather than stagnating. Again, this calls for energy.

Architects in Kenya should design their buildings to minimize their energy footprint

Therefore, there are so many ways with which we use energy within a building that it is difficult to enumerate them all. The onus is on the architect to ensure that the design of their buildings does not call for as much energy usage within. This can be achieved by ensuring some of these recurrent needs for energy at mitigated against. Designing of buildings that do not require continuous energy input for them to achieve proper levels of human conflict within this part of green architecture. Green architecture calls for buildings that are able to maintain themselves and create conditions of human comfort without the need for human intervention, or at least intervention possible. When buildings are done in this manner, they are able to create comfortable internal environment in high-cost friendly manner. When an architect has designed the building to operate comfortably without the need for continuous artificial intervention, it can be seen to be a sustainable building.

Ways we reach buildings can consume less energy needs to be practicably considered. For example with regard to lighting, the architect needs to harness natural light from the sun that can be able to reach the building. This may mean designing a building to have large windows, or provision of rooflights, reflecting panels or similar innovations that can be able to allow natural light to come into the building. By so doing, the complement of energy that is attributable to lighting internal spaces can be greatly reduced, as these spaces will now be served by a natural lighting coming from the sun. This is a brilliant way of working with nature. In the same manner, working with the laws of nature regarding floor of air, can lead an architect to design spaces that maximise on cross ventilation, resulting in better ventilated rooms. By so doing, the building will require less artificial ventilation. Invariably, the building will consume less energy in the process of heating or cooling internal spaces.

The advantages of this to a developer are enormous. Firstly, the building will consume less energy. In these days of high fuel prices and unreliable electrical power supply, the users of a building will be able to operate normally without additional costs of having to supplement power input to a building. Various normal functions that we encounter from day to day can be carried out without the need to supplement energy. An airy, well lit, and cool building is a joy to work in. Of course, having a comfortable environment means that workers can be productive when working from within such an environment. This definitely is a major selling point for an owner or developer when making a case towards any prospective tenants who may be interested in using the space. Commercial spaces that have such provisions within them commandeer much higher premiums when discussing rents or purchase prices. Such spaces are very attractive for premium clients who are interested in good rentals spaces that reflect their corporate branding.

When architects are conceiving and preparing the presentation for such commercial projects, the need to demonstrate how these energy efficient provisions have been included within the design is paramount. This enables the developers to make a good case toward buyers or financiers more who may be interested in investing in the project. These can be broken down into easy understandable components, and the associated cost benefit ratios can be given to show how investment in this property differs from other conventional buildings. Indeed it can be demonstrated that such buildings are more viable than conventional buildings that do not have green facilities integrated in them. This is because the life cycle costs of sustainable buildings end up invariably lower than those of conventional buildings. Recurrent expenditure during the lifespan of these buildings is much lower, albeit their initial capital costs may seem to be higher. When all this is put together, green buildings end up having better viability than conventional buildings.

Energy is a core resource that needs to be considered in every building that is designed. When architects design their buildings to use less energy, the result is buildings that offer more advantages to their users, as opposed to demerits. Such buildings are responsible users of the energy given to them, while having a smaller energy footprint- resulting in better care for the environment. Architects in Kenya will thus create more energy efficient buildings.

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