Newsletter

GREEN HOMESPromoting Sustainable Housing in Nepal

What is Green Home ?

Green Homes - the Sustainable Housing is an initiative that promotes housing systems which reduce pressure on natural resources and carbon emissions, thus resulting in human wellbeing, social equity, and promotion of green

economy. Energy efficiency in buildings, eco-friendly practices for water and waste management at household level such as rainwater harvesting, and waste/wastewater recycling. Green homes are more than just green buildings - they reflect a sustainable lifestyle based on eco-friendly systems and behavior.

Who are we ? United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) under Switch Asia Programme of European Union is promoting sustainable housing in partnership with Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), Clean Energy Nepal (CEN), Shelter and Local Technology Development Centre (SLTDC) and IHS/Erasmus University. We have partnered with the Government of Nepal and three municipalities: Pokhara, Lalitpur and Dharan.

How we promote ? Volunteerism and hobbies are good but not sufficient. This initiative tries to bring three equally important partners together- the Government and municipalities, the small and medium enterprises that produce green products and services and the consumers. Recognizing the promotional role of municipalities their involvement pave way towards green labeling system. Private sector involvement may be encouraged through creating demand by attracting and convincing more and more consumers. Demonstration, capacity building and policy facilitation are the areas we address.

Mark of recognitionThe Real Estate Award was awarded to UN-Habitat for its contribution to the housing sector for introducing innovate approach of Green Homes- promoting sustainable housing in Nepal by Homeland Magazine.

June 2014 Volume 1 Issue 1 Year 1

Green construction materials: Construction materials that have less embodied energy and less carbon footprint will be promoted for housing purpose.

Passive solar DesiGn: Utilizing natural light, heat and ventilation while wisely designing the houses using locational advantage helps to reduce energy conservation, create healthy environment.

enerGy efficiency: Utilizing solar and other alternative energy that are cleaner and selection of energy efficient equipments and appliances, and practicing energy saving practices.

Water conservation: Rain water harvesting, recharge and judicious use of water giving less stress to water sources.

Waste manaGement: 3R for solid waste management, recycling and reusing of grey water and utilizing by-products of waste materials.

COMPONENTS OF GREEN HOMES

Project funded by

EVENTS

Launching Green Homes Green Homes was launched on May 3, 2013 in the presence of Secretary Mr. Kishore Thapa, Ministry of Urban Development and Dr. Alexander Spachis, then EU Ambassador to Nepal along with high level government officials.

National Industrial Trade Fair at Pokhara With the aim of raising awareness on sustainable housing Green Homes participated in the National Industrial Trade Fair Pokhara (27 Jan – 3 Feb, 2014) along with SMEs producing green products and services. Participants from different walks of life were enthusiastic in learning the green building and green living.

National Industrial Trade Fair and Cottage Industry FestivalThe national trade festival was organized by FNCSI and Alternative Energy Promotion Centre to promote renewable energy (Feb 6-10, 2014). Green Homes Project participated in the exhibition to demonstrate ways of energy efficient construction and services.

Go Green MelaAiming to raise awareness on Climate Change impacts, the go Green Mela is one of the longest exhibition held in Kathmandu targeting professionals, environmentalists and students from Feb- Apr, 2014. Green Homes participated in the Fair aiming to prepare future ambassador to green development.

Europe Day Celebration 2014On the occasion of Europe Day, Green Homes displayed the Green Homes Model on May 9, 2014.. Chief Guest of the programme, Vice President of Nepal Mr. Parmananad Jha, Ambassador, European Union Delegation to Nepal Ms. Rensje Teerink, Mr. Jamie McGoldrick, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations for Nepal, and other guests of the event visited Green Homes stall.

Eco-Fair at Kathmandu June 5-7, 2013, Green Homes participated in the Eco-fair to promote sustainable housing organized on the occasion of 40th World Environment Day. The project also hosted Eco-Learn and Eco-tour to discuss and demonstrate green products and services in Kathmandu.

AcTiViTiES Capacity BuildingsExposure Visit to NetherlandsAn exposure visit of government and municipal officials lead by Joint Secretary Mr. Suresh Prakash Acharya was organized from 19-24 May, 2014 in the Netherlands to learn from the European experiences. IHS/Erasmus University hosted the programme in Rotterdam where the participants were oriented on green building practices of the Netherlands and Europe- the policy setup, present practices and control mechanisms. Live examples of new green building of Erasmus University, social housing schemes in Hook of Holland and Amsterdam, Green Building Exposition, the climate resilient floating house model were the major attractions. The European experiences were presented by private social housing companies, Amsterdam Metropolis and Rotterdam city expansion. The participants gained knowledge on latest technologies and practices from the European expriences.

National Level Training on Sustainable HousingA national level training programme on sustainable housing for decision makers was organized jointly with Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) and Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) on March 25-28, 2014 in Kathmandu. Twenty-five participants from MoFALD, DUDBC, three selected municipalities and professional organization – SONA and NEA and technical staff of project partners participated in the training. The main aim of the training programme was to guide the decision makers towards sustainable housing approach, services and technologies. The 4-day training programme comprised lecture classes, group discussion, demonstration and field visit.

Training programmes were divided into different session as per Green Homes components – sustainable construction materials, passive solar design, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste management as well as green labelling system. This training has helped to orient the participants of the government agencies and municipalities on project goals, global trend towards green building and state of art technologies and practices developed and adopted worldwide.

Training on Sustainable Construction Materials in DharanWith the purpose of creating green job for local people focusing on urban youth and women of Dharan municipality, Green Homes in coordination with Dharan municipality and Nepal Basobas Basti Samrachhyan Samaj organized two trainings on Hollow Concrete Block (HCB) production and its construction process.

Forty-two youths and women, primarily from slum settlements took part in the training from 6-8 Dec, 2013. The training was helpful to the trainees as the community was initiating to start rebuilding their housing after their negotiation with the municipality to relocate their settlement to more safe and secured location.

The second training on Feb 27-29, 2014 was focused on hands-on training on construction techniques of HCB building for twenty-six participants from local masons and urban youths and women from informal settlements. A physical model of HCB building section was also constructed in the compound of Dharan Municipality. The participants were also trained on how to make disaster resilient building.

Training on water, waste water and solid waste management at household level with roof-top farming in Lalitpur Building the capacity of local women’s group, UN-Habitat in coordination with Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) and Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City organized four day training on Water and Waste Management at Household Level. The training aimed to provide hands on skill how to manage water and wastewater through roof top gardening at household level. Throughout four days, trainees were provided with various techniques for roof top gardening in context of urban area where open space is minimum at household level for gardening and waste management is a big challenge. The training was successful to impart knowledge on water and waste management.

AcTiViTiES

Orientation workshops were organized in the three participating cities - Lalitpur, Pokhara and Dharan in collaboration with respective municipalities. Programmes were organized in Pokhara on May 31, 2013, in Dharan on June 10, 2013 and in Lalitpur on July 26, 2013. The main objective of these programs were to share information of Green Homes Project, its objectives and scope. Total 173 participants (40 in Pokhara, 83 in Dharan and 51 in Lalitpur) took part in these workshops that include government officials, municipal officials, professionals, representatives of SMEs, members of local chamber of commerce and industries, professional organizations, local leaders and media people.

Municipal Planning WorkshopPokhara,

The project along with Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City Office (PSMC) and Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industries hosted a planning workshop to chalk out plans and programmes of Green Homes in this touristic city on 29 Nov. 2013. Ninety-seven participants from PSMC Environment Section, representatives from communities, representatives from eighteen different wards and local SMEs participated in this workshop.

Dharan

On April 18-19, 2014 the project organized planning workshop along with Dharan Municipality. Seventy participants took part in the workshop that include municipal staff, building designers, representative from NGOs, professional organizations, political parties, civil society, FNCCI Sunsari district, and local SMEs. Constitution Assembly Member from Sunsari Mr. Krishna Kumar Rai and Joint Secretary of MoFALD Mr. Gopi Khanal and Mr. Suresh Shrestha, President, DCCI were the guests in the programme.

Success StoryLocated on the foothills of Chure Range, Dharan is one of the growing cities of Nepal. There is an enormous population pressure and thus the

demand for housing. Started as a logging town, the city of Dharan use to have its old houses built primarily by wood. In recent years

these houses are replaced by bricks and concrete making the houses unbearably heated during summer and very cold in winter.

When Mr. Hari Karki, a local small entrepreneur started his precast concrete business to supply

RCC drains and roof tiles he was not very convinced with the hollow concrete block market in Dharan. Bricks are imported from hinterland and wood becoming more and more expensive as the forest is vanishing from this once logging town. With the Green Homes orientation on

the benefits of hollow concrete blocks and RCC door and window frames the innovative Hari immediately grasped the opportunity. After the short training provided by the Green Homes Project he has invested less than NRP 300,000 (Euro 2300) and leased a plot of land. Now he has 15 people working with him in his hollow concrete block industry. His turnover has increased from NRS 500,000 to NRP1300,000 within 8 months. The first client of his products are slum population who are improving their houses with these blocks. Municipality has recently decided to use the blocks instead of bricks for their construction. Satisfied with the growing market, Mr. Hari is thinking further to add block making machine and workers and also exploring the financial possibilities. “It is this Green Homes project that has created market for me without which people would not have believed me. When the project assured the benefits, and this is almost 30% cheaper than the bricks, now there is a growing interest on my products”. There are few more entrepreneurs exploring to establish such industries in the city.

for more details:United nations Human Settlements Programme (Un-Habitat)Pulchowk, Lalitpur, NepalTel: 00977-1-5542816, Fax: 00977-1-5539877Email: [email protected]://www.unhabitat.org.nphttps://www.facebook.com/greenhomes.nepal

“This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of implementing partners of this project and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.”

Orientation Workshop in Three Municipalities