Rwanda Green Building Minimum Compliance System
The Green Building Minimum Compliance System applies to new commercial buildings, public buildings, assembly buildings, health facilities, and educational buildings. It is a point-based system to help owners and developers choose green features based on building type, usage, and the benefits associated. A total of 29 green building indicators are defined addressing building green features such as appropriate orientation, daylighting, natural ventilation, resource efficiency, etc.
The Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) in collaboration with the Building Construction Authority (BCA) Singapore, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Rwanda Green Building Organization (RwGBO) jointly developed the Rwanda Green Building Minimum Compliance System. This is a point-based system to help to build owners and developers choose from a list of building performance indicators based on building type, usage, and the benefits associated. The Green Building Minimum Compliance System is applicable to new large-scale commercial buildings, public buildings, assembly buildings, health facilities, and educational buildings. These buildings shall achieve at least 60 out of 190 points to comply with the Rwanda Green Building Minimum Compliance system to be granted permit to build.
The green building indicators address green features any building should possess such as appropriate orientation, daylighting, natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, efficient water fixtures, energy efficient appliances, low-impact refrigerants, greenery protection, no harmful substances. A total of 29 green building indicators are defined in the system which are applicable to the Rwandan context and can be achieved with little incremental cost while offering numerous benefits to owners, occupants and the environment. The system complements existing Government of Rwanda commitments such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
The objective of this project is to develop institutional tools and capacity to support the Government of Rwanda in achieving its global commitments and national targets through improved performance in the building sector. In April 2019, the Government of Rwanda approved and gazetted the Ministerial Order determining urban planning and building regulations. This Ministerial Order includes the Rwanda Green Building Minimum Compliance System, which forms the Annex to the Ministerial Order along with the revised Rwanda Building Code.
Going forward, the Rwanda Housing Authority, with support from GGGI, will conduct public awareness campaigns, training programs for architects, engineers, building inspectors, developers, contractors, students, and other stakeholders across the building supply chain to ensure that the Green Building Minimum Compliance System is successfully disseminated and implemented.
