In November, sustainability-minded people worldwide will turn their attention to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the United Nations’ Climate Change conference, known as COP29, writes Amanda Williams, head of environmental sustainability at CIOB.

I am lucky enough to attend this year’s conference, advocating for the built environment and construction industry to be front and centre in conversations about climate action, and we will be hoping that skills for the climate transition will be firmly on the agenda.

CIOB has already signed up to the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment’s #GreenSkillsAtCop campaign ahead of the event, a campaign to encourage governments around the world to put more focus on green skills.

As the world’s leading professional body for construction management and leadership, our members worldwide are advocating for a more sustainable built environment.

Across many areas of the world, there is a pressing need to close a green skills gap in construction, and Sub-Saharan Africa is not immune to this need to rapidly develop green labour skills.

These skills, which encompass sustainable design and building practices, green technologies and materials, and efficient resource use for example, are essential for developing infrastructure which supports growing populations and helps meet sustainability targets.

Africa’s population is growing fast, and the continent also has the world’s fastest urbanisation rate, with an urban population projected to almost triple by 2050.

This means a large demand for new buildings and provides an opportunity to construct these buildings sustainably from the start, delivering a net zero carbon, healthy, equitable and resilient built environment.

I recently heard from Mike Deane, a passionate construction manager based in Pretoria who shared some enlightening insight behind the green skills deficit Sub-Saharan Africa faces.

He highlighted that although the region is rich in potential, numerous barriers and a lack of formal training programmes could hinder the cultivation of these critical skills.

Many countries in the region lack the regulatory frameworks and policy incentives that encourage sustainable construction practices. Training programmes which do exist are often urban-centred, costly, and only accessible in some countries.

Mike told us how economic factors also present a stumbling block, with construction companies across the region relying on some of the most sustainable materials and technologies to be imported, making them not only costly but also logistically challenging to integrate – especially when there may be a lack of local knowledge on using such materials.

This high dependence on imported materials perhaps highlights the potential for adoption of bio-based, low-carbon development strategies, especially considering Africa’s abundant local construction techniques and resources.

So, what are some of the potential solutions to the need to rapidly develop these labour skills?

Mike’s view, which I support, is that several initiatives can be implemented to foster green skills development and support sustainable construction across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ultimately, a lot boils down to the urgent need for increased funding. Investing in widespread vocational training programmes that include certifications in green building practices could potentially lay the foundation for a green-skilled workforce.  

Training would need to be, and in our view should always be, accessible and affordable. It must focus on hands-on, practical experience in areas like low carbon construction techniques, renewable energy installation, sustainable material sourcing, and energy efficiency.

Encouraging universities and trade schools to incorporate green course content and partner with both local, regional and international experts could also provide structured, standardised training across the region. But training in new techniques can also be delivered on site, as part of the project plan, making training accessible to those in employment.

Robust low carbon transition policies are a key driver, and there is a need to promote green building standards across the region’s construction sector. This could be achieved by establishing and enforcing building codes which include green standards to help create demand for sustainable practices. There are already some great examples, such as the use of green certification systems like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Green Star or Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) as seen in Ghana, South Africa and Kenya.

Other ideas Mike told us about include boosting local production to minimise dependency on imported materials, financial incentives such as tax breaks and subsidies, and encouraging communities to get involved with outreach programmes highlighting the benefits of sustainable construction or delivering training.

In conclusion, Sub-Saharan Africa has a young, growing population with great potential to drive sustainable development. Developing green-skilled labour in the construction sector will be a crucial step towards creating resilient, sustainable infrastructure across the region, and has the potential to deliver co-benefits like job creation, economic growth, and improved wellbeing and housing conditions.

By investing in training and fostering sustainable practices, the region can create a construction workforce equipped with the green skills necessary to meet both current needs and future challenges. 

Amanda Williams is head of environmental sustainability at the Chartered Institute of Building

Photo: Sustainable Building with Recycled Materials, Green Living Walls & Water Conservation Systems (Source: © Si Le / Dreamstime)