This week Edwin Ndeke @edwinoblak will share his series on recent flooding in...

Every Day Climate Change 2 years ago

This week Edwin Ndeke @edwinoblak will share his series on recent flooding in Kenya: Edwin writes: In March all through to May Kenya saw some of its most catastrophic weather for years. Torrential rains caused devastating floods, at least 228 people died, thousands were displaced and nearly 2,000 schools were affected. Poorer communities were disproportionately affected. Mathare , with roughly 70,000 residents, is just one part of the densely populated “informal settlement” in Nairobi, and people are still reeling from the impact of the flood. Unplanned or illegal housing developments that obstruct the flow of water, settlements on riverbanks, and poor drainage systems worsened flood impacts Because About 70% of Nairobi’s residents live in informal settlements, which occupy about 5% of the city’s land. Congested living conditions push the poorest residents to the margins of the settlement, where they are most vulnerable. These photos paint a picture of how important it his to fight climate change & effects it has to humans. Captions: 1. Jane Kalekye at the door of her flooded house in the Mathare Slums on 01/05/2024 as the East african country experiences heavy long rains in Nairobi, Kenya 2. Jane Kalekye stands opposite her flooded house in Mathare Slums on 01/05/2024,Nairobi, Kenya as the country experiences heavy long rains. 3. Jane Kalekye and her son, Francis ochieng,help their neighbour remove a sofa that has blocked her house in Mathare Slums on 01/05/2024, Nairobi, Kenya as the country experiences heavy long rains. #climatechange #globalwarming #climatecrisis #Kenya #Africa #eastafrica #flooding #torrentialrain #rain #poverty #informalsettlements

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 21 days ago



Financial institutions are accelerating sustainable construction by aligning lending with measurable environmental performance. Santander UK’s decision to adapt mortgage models for Octopus Energy’s Zero Bills homes integrates credit policy with energy-efficient buildings, translating net zero carbon ambitions into mainstream financial metrics. This shift signals the emergence of whole life carbon assessment as a determinant in property valuation and positions embodied carbon and life cycle cost analysis as standard tools of risk management across the sector.

Digital transformation is amplifying the movement. The Monklands digital hospital project in Scotland demonstrates how offsite manufacturing, lifecycle assessment and connected data platforms enhance building lifecycle performance, minimise waste, and verify embodied carbon in materials. Durham’s adoption of digital planning and assessment tools reflects a broader drive toward resource efficiency in construction and environmental sustainability in construction. Together these initiatives redefine sustainable building design by embedding whole life carbon accountability into design and delivery workflows.

Policy remains an enabling force but the centre of momentum is shifting from government mandates to operational proof. A renewed national emphasis on green affordability and the integration of social equity with decarbonising the built environment are reinforcing the transition toward net zero whole life carbon outcomes. These developments illustrate a maturing circular economy in construction where sustainable building practices, low carbon design and eco-design for buildings converge to deliver verifiable carbon footprint reduction. The industry’s direction is now measurable—kilograms of CO₂, minutes saved, resources reused—evidence that green construction is evolving from aspiration to tangible low carbon building performance.

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