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Nairobi skyline: Why developers are going for trendy, greener buildings
The recently completed 14-storey Purple Tower along Mombasa Road.
What you need to know:
- The traditional office block, with outdated designs, is quickly losing appeal.
- Gone are the days when basic amenities and uninspired architecture lured tenants.
Nairobi’s skyline is evolving fast amid an oversupply of office and commercial spaces, forcing investors to rethink conventional real estate models.
In today’s competitive market, developers have been pushed to innovate smart and sustainable features that set their properties apart and offer real value to prospective tenants, embracing cutting-edge technologies and sustainable design principles to offer something different.
The traditional office block, with its standard utilities and outdated designs, is quickly losing appeal. Gone are the days when basic amenities and uninspired architecture lured tenants.
In this new shift, real estate experts observe, the goal is to not only attract tenants but to retain them by lowering their operating costs and enhancing user experience. They say the market is moving away from conventional spaces toward developments that “prioritise innovation and long-term value for both investors and tenants.”
“The trend has changed dramatically. Today’s developers are designing experiences. The goal is no longer to merely fill space, but to retain tenants by reducing their operational costs and enhancing their day-to-day convenience,” says Mr James Gacheru, a seasoned real estate agent.
Mr Gacheru says one of the trends in the city’s middle and high-end property segments is the deliberate incorporation of green technologies with features such as energy-saving lighting, solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, greywater recycling and intelligent climate control systems increasingly becoming standard.
“These additions have a tangible impact on utility costs, which is a major concern for both residential and commercial tenants, especially in a city where overhead expenses are steadily rising,” he explains.
The agent notes that beyond cost savings, comfort and smart functionality are now major selling points in Nairobi’s new commercial and residential projects increasingly with high-speed internet infrastructure, biometric or smart access controls, energy-efficient elevators and the use of sustainable building materials being on high use.
Views of uniquely built buildings within and around the city are increasingly getting common as the drive to feed tenants both taste and experience gains momentum and developers coming with new innovations are standing out.
Nairobi’s real estate is changing from merely offering space to clients and is getting conscious of concerns such as sustainability, which is now a key factor in property value.
The recently completed 14-storey Purple Tower along Mombasa Road is among new buildings that have attracted this attention due to its building design, subtly capturing the spirit of a new wave of smarter, more efficient structures.
According to its developers, Purple Dot International, set to open at the end of the month, integrates grade A office spaces with showrooms and retail areas, making it versatile for a range of commercial uses, blending elegant design and forward-thinking efficiency, tailored to reduce costs.
Experts say the building also incorporates green energy and other cost-saving measures, which many companies consider before leasing space today. The project is expected to achieve a 27 per cent reduction in energy consumption, a 41 per cent decrease in water usage and a 33 per cent saving in embodied material energy, says Amrish Shah of Urban Green Consultants, a green building advisory firm.
“The real estate landscape in Nairobi has changed. Tenants are more discerning as they want value, sustainability and long-term savings. We had to go back to the drawing board and ask ourselves, what can we offer that genuinely makes a difference?” says Mr Shah.
“Out went the old playbook of standard finishes and energy-intensive systems and in came smart, sustainable features designed to address both environmental concerns and rising operational costs,” he adds.
Mr Bharat Kerai, the project lead, says Purple Tower has incorporated high-performance thermal glass, energy-efficient lighting systems and a smart building management framework designed to minimise energy use.
Water efficiency is another major focus with low-flow plumbing fixtures and potential rainwater harvesting solutions help conserve resources and reduce monthly utility bills.
The official said the choice of sustainable, locally sourced materials also plays a vital role in minimising the building’s carbon footprint.
Mr Kerai notes that today’s businesses are also highly conscious of their brand image and corporate responsibility.
“Occupying space in an edge-certified building sends a strong message about who you are as a company. It shows clients and staff that you are committed to sustainability and the future,” he said.