Rwanda is one of the ten countries that are competing for an award of $1 million under the ‘Million Cool Roofs Challenge’-a global competition to accelerate access to affordable, sustainable cooling through rapid deployment of cool roof materials for residential, municipal, and commercial buildings.
The competition is an initiative of the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Programme and other programmes.
Kigali Cooling Efficiency Programme was set up after Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol was ratified in 2016 in order to help developing countries transition to energy-efficient, climate-friendly, and affordable cooling solutions.
It entered into force on 1st January 2019.
Under the Kigali Amendment, countries committed to cut the production and consumption of hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs) — potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning — by more than 80 percent over the next 30 years.
This effort has the potential to avoid up to 0.4° C of global warming by the end of the century.
The contesting countries for $1 million award include Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Niger, Senegal, and Cote d’Ivoire, Mexico, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Philippines.
According to Haruna Nshimiyimana, the Division Manager of Housing Regulations and Standards at Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA), if Rwanda gets the award in the beginning of 2021, the part of this sum will be used to support the “National Green Urbanization Centre of Excellence” that will be established soon to promote green building technologies. Read more>>
