“Healthy Buildings or Greenwashing? BORAQS Forum Sparks Tough Questions on Kenya’s Construction Future
By Jeff Kizzilah/ Digital Editor
The ongoing BORAQS CPD Forum has ignited fresh debate within Kenya’s construction and manufacturing sectors, with industry leaders calling for a radical shift toward healthier, more inclusive, and environmentally responsible built environments.
Today’s discussions, themed around Health, Dignity and Inclusion in the Built Environment, brought together key players from the public and private sectors to examine how infrastructure development can better support human wellbeing while protecting the environment.
The forum featured presentations from Mustafa Turra, Tom Oyier, and a keynote address by Mary Muthoni.
Participants emphasized that the future of the built environment must go beyond aesthetics and functionality, and instead prioritize sustainability, public health, accessibility, and social responsibility.
Speaking during the forum, Crown Paints Kenya PLC highlighted a series of environmental and health-focused initiatives aimed at reducing the construction sector’s ecological footprint. These include the production of low-VOC paints designed to improve indoor air quality, investment in solar-powered manufacturing plants, deployment of electric bikes and forklifts to cut emissions, recycling of plastic and paper waste, and installation of water harvesting systems to encourage responsible resource management.
The discussions also raised deeper concerns about whether some companies are doing enough to address climate change and public health impacts, or whether sustainability campaigns are merely becoming corporate public relations tools.
Industry experts at the forum warned that Kenya’s rapid urban growth must not come at the expense of environmental safety or the dignity of communities living within these spaces.
The BORAQS CPD Forum continues to position itself as a key platform pushing for accountability and innovation in Kenya’s construction and built environment sectors under the broader agenda of sustainable development.
