The GGKP's Seventh Annual Conference took place on 21-22 October 2019 in conjunction with the Global Green Growth Institute’s Global Green Growth Week 2019 (GGGW2019) on the theme of “Achieving Global Energy Transformation” in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Ama Kissiwah presented her paper “Energy Efficient Buildings: Policy and Practice Landscapes in Ghana” in Session C.3: Transforming Energy in Cities. Ama is a PhD candidate at the National University of Public Service in Budapest, with a research focus on institutional frameworks for urban climate change governance in African cities. She completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Urban Management Tools for climate change from the IHS-Erasmus University in Rotterdam in 2017.
1) Briefly describe the topic and conclusion of your research.
In most African countries including Ghana, the majority of building codes were developed and, in some cases, based on those from developing countries with limited consideration to the local context. The concern here is that most of these codes are prescriptive and do not actually work to mainstream energy-efficient standards in the developing country context.
Ghana in particular has a a booming building industry in rapidly developing urban areas. Our research aims to assess the extent to which the existing energy-efficiency policy mix is driving an energy-efficient transformation in the country’s building sector. The research reveals that the majority of real estate development in Ghana does not center on sustainability, though a few sustainable building strategies have been adopted. It also shows that existing building codes and policy mechanisms have not fully considered or integrated energy-efficient standards and strategies.
The study aims to support the full development of an energy-efficient building sector in the country by highlighting the need to mainstream energy-efficient standards and retrofitting standards in Ghana’s existing building codes and energy policies.
2) What are the key policy messages/implications?
Our research highlights a clear need for a thorough review of existing codes and policies relevant to reducing energy consumption in both new and existing buildings. Reducing energy consumption in the building sector offers a major opportunity to reduce the country’s overall carbon footprint, as buildings contribute significantly to national GHG emissions.
One approach to reducing energy consumption in new and existing buildings is to make energy-efficient design a requirement for obtaining building permits. Another key approach is to provide economic incentives to motivate real estate developers, homebuyers, and occupants to become more energy efficient.
3) If applicable, briefly elaborate on the policy framework and financing mechanism.
The government has adopted policies and regulations that aim to enhance access to energy and provide housing for the population. For example, the National Energy Policy 2010, which is meant to serve as a guide in the development and management of Ghana’s energy sector. However, this policy focuses on removing the obstacles that have constrained the promotion and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation measures; it does not categorically promote energy efficiency in buildings.
To truly mainstream energy-efficiency in Ghana’s building sector, all relevant stakeholders must advocate for structures that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout the building's entire life cycle – from site definition to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition. This requires close cooperation among the design team, architects, engineers and clients at all projects.
4) Are there any challenges you would like to underline from this research?
Inadequate data and inadequate funding for research are both major challenges to better understand the policy and investment needs for an energy-efficient building sector in Ghana.
5) What are the opportunities for collaboration around this issue?
I am looking forward to attending GGKP7 to connect with researchers and other actors from across the world working in this area to learn about best practices and opportunities for support or assistance. This is a critical field that needs further research; Ghana and African cities are growing and there is potential for future collaborative research.