Mainstreaming energy efficiency in building codes in West African countries

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Background

The West African Economic and Monetary Union (known as UEMOA from its French name, Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine) is an organisation of eight fast-growing West African states.

Their pace of development means that these countries are facing electricity shortages, so energy efficiency is a high priority. A previous REEEP-funded project helped UEMOA in developing a regional EE labelling programme for appliances, and formed a network of country experts to handle EE issues.

This project will enable UEMOA to support national efforts to promote EE via building codes.  A new conceptual building code in Benin shows that 35% energy savings can be achieved through EE technologies and best practices that are adapted to local conditions.

 

Purpose

To develop a voluntary regional EE Model Building Code based on the Benin experience for implementation by UEMOA countries, with a regional standards body for support.

Main Activities

  • Hold a workshop to gather Benin stakeholder input on the national EE Building Code, make adaptations
  • Share the Benin results with experts in Burkina Faso and Niger to assess where changes are needed to make the EE code regionally applicable
  • Develop the draft regional EE Model Building Code
  • Organise and deliver a regional workshop for national stakeholders
  • Develop the Terms of Reference for a third-party certification programme and selection of a regional body in charge of EE Building Rating
  • Develop a toolkit to guide building professionals in UEMOA countries in applying the regional code
  • Organise two training sessions on implementation of the code for relevant national stakeholders
  • Support information dissemination
  • Assess potential for cooperation with other ECOWAS states

Expected Impact

  • Regional EE Model Building Code developed to reflect local conditions
  • National UEMOA stakeholders trained for code implementation
  • UEMOA enabled to implement a regional certification program
  • Fundamental changes in typical construction practices in member countries, increasing the level of EE in new residential, commercial and institutional buildings
  • Reduced need for new investment in energy supply infrastructure
  • Creation of EE-specialised jobs
  • Sustainable reduction in CO2
Locations
Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Togo
Programme sector
Energy Efficiency (EE) (Policy & Regulation)
Duration
2013 - 2015
Budget
€360,909 including co-funding from Econoler, IEPF, UEMOA
Implementing agency
Econoler
REEEP grant funded by
Switzerland