NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 3 – The Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS), in partnership with KCB, concluded the annual KGBS Conference & Green Expo 2025 at the Emara Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi, under the theme: Kenya’s Climate-Resilient Innovation: A Gateway for Investment in Real Estate, Infrastructure, Heritage, Nature, and Tourism.
The two-day flagship event highlighted Kenya’s leadership in climate-resilient, investment-ready urban solutions, building on the momentum of the recent Africa Climate Summit.
The conference aimed to position the country as a regional hub for green real estate, sustainable infrastructure, climate-smart tourism, nature-based solutions, and cultural heritage preservation.
Bringing together public and private sector players, the event showcased local innovations particularly those led by counties, youth, and women, while promoting cross-sector collaboration through business-to-business engagement and investment matchmaking.
Over 200 key stakeholders from the built environment participated, including government officials, policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and sustainability experts.
Delegates represented organizations such as the National and County Governments of Kenya, Kenya Development Corporation, Business Finland, HFC, ALN Kenya, Mapei EA, Daikin, and Gatsby Africa, among others.
In her keynote address, Annastacia Mutai, Managing Director at KCB, emphasized the urgency of the moment, “Kenya stands at a crossroads. We can either see climate change as a constraint on growth or as an opportunity to reimagine our future.”
She highlighted the country’s ambitious roadmap to decarbonize buildings by 2030 and noted a financing gap of approximately KES 180 billion (about USD 1.4 billion).
To close this gap, Mutai stressed the importance of collaboration across government, the private sector, development partners, and communities “The goal of this event is to mobilize strategic partnerships and direct investment into Kenya’s green growth sectors.”
Ibrahim Rashid Ahmed, Senior Presidential Advisor, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to this agenda through enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Climate Change Act, devolved climate finance mechanisms, and green bonds laying both policy and financial foundations for a climate-smart economy.
A, key feature of the Expo was six thematic pavilions, each spotlighting a critical area of Kenya’s green transition: Country & Subnational Pavilion, Green Developers Pavilion, Green Materials, Manufacturers & Circularity Pavilion, Youth, Gender & Community Innovation Pavilion, Green Finance & Industry Pavilion and Nature, Heritage & Tourism Pavilion.
During the event, several organizations and individuals were recognized for their outstanding contributions to sustainability, particularly in green finance, community innovation, and green materials manufacturing.
Notable announcements included the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) and key institutions: the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK), Environment Institute of Kenya (EIK), Town and County Planners Association of Kenya (TCPAK), and the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN).
“Kenya has demonstrated that leadership from the Global South is possible,” stated Hon. Nasra Nanda. “The challenge now is to ensure this leadership results in resilient communities, decarbonized cities, and a lasting legacy of sustainability for future generations.”
She added that the partnerships launched during the conference aim to scale this impact by embedding gender equality, unlocking new financing pathways, spreading innovation across Africa, and ensuring that every Kenyan has access to resilient, affordable, and dignified green housing.
Through these curated experiences, the KGBS Conference & Green Expo 2025 positions Kenya as a leading destination for climate-smart, inclusive, and culturally grounded urban development advancing a more resilient and sustainable future for Africa and beyond.