The webinar “Financing energy efficiency in buildings for a Green Recovery in Africa: Health, Jobs and Climate” was co-organised by PEEB as part of the Energy Talks of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP). It explored how financing for energy efficiency can boost a Green Recovery and benefit the health sector. A policy brief summarizes findings and gives further information.
In the health sector, green buildings can make a substantial contribution to the well-being of patients and medical staff. Energy efficiency can massively reduce the energy consumption and associated cost of medical facilities which often have a high energy consumption, also in off-grid settings. Besides its benefits for health, energy and climate, promoting green buildings is a major strategy to foster economic growth and job creation to respond to the economic crisis after the Covid-19 pandemic.
After opening remarks by the European Commission and African Union Commission, speakers from DG DEVCO and European Investment Bank (EIB) presented initiatives to boost energy efficiency. An expert from the Ministry of Health in Senegal talked about green rural health centers that benefit patients and carers, and save cost. Tunisia’s representatives from the Agence Nationale pour la Maitrise de l’Energie (ANME) and Ministry of Health and shared their experience in paving the way for large-scale construction of green hospitals pointed out a potential to reduce energy consumption by 50 percent. PEEB presented how financing and policies for green buildings can boost economic recovery and create jobs.
The panel discussion pointed to the need for financing energy efficiency in Buildings to boost COVID-19 economic recovery while improving comfort and reducing the energy consumption.