The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is pleased to share  the published Circular Built Environment (CBE) Highlights from Africa Policies, Case Studies and UN2030 Agenda Indicators report. GGGI was appointed by the United Nations One Planet Network (OPN) Sustainable Buildings and Construction (SBC) Programme in 2021 to conduct an assessment on the circularity of the built environment in Africa. The study is part of a wider research in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and supplements an earlier study State of Play for Circular Built Environment in Africa conducted in 2020. For this particular research, GGGI focused on four African countries – Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda.

With the building and construction industry accounting for over 40% of final electricity consumption and a substantial proportion of global material consumption, it is essential to explore ways to reduce the energy and material throughput of the industry. This Assessment supports the global focus on mitigating GHG emissions by focusing on the building and construction sector, while simultaneously addressing other environmental concerns such as solid waste management and raw material extraction. Co-benefits, such as improved indoor air quality, reduced air pollution, job creation, etc. will also be highlighted in the study where relevant.

Since June 2021, several stakeholders have been engaged in the Rwanda CBE study including the academia, building materials manufacturers, water & waste companies, building designers, contractors & energy companies, regulators, and government agencies. The study involved interview discussions with stakeholders, site visit to projects that promote circularity and online survey where practitioners shared insights on measuring circularity in the building and construction industry.

The Global Green Growth Institute is pleased with the support and technical advisory partnership it has developed throughout the years in Rwanda that continues to evolve by mainstreaming green growth into sector and subnational policies , strategies and projects. GGGI has been partnering with he government of Rwanda and has been able to support in the several initiatives  such the Rwanda Green Building Minimum Compliance System ;Greening Existing Public Buildings ;Green and Climate Resilient Affordable Housing ;Circularity in Built Environment research in Rwanda.