Mount Entoto thinks and goes green in PACCI’s Conference!
Mount Entoto thinks and goes green in PACCI’s Conference!
“2014 Think and Go Green Afrique-Africa Conference and Fair” held in the first Ethiopian Green Building in Addis Ababa
By\ Mekki Elmograbi
Kebur Ghenna the Executive Director of PACCI and Rahel Getachew, the Project Manager of PACCI and the Coordinator of “Think and Go Green Ceonference” listening to Yemesrach Zena from LYDTCO explaining the company’s solar energy devices
The Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI) together with it’s partners organized 4-day conference and fair from 11th -14th December 2014 at Gullele Botanic Garden, Addis Ababa – Ethiopia.
“2014 Think and Go Green Afrique-Africa Conference and Fair” comes under the theme “Facilitating the development of Green Business eco-system” and with the aim of increasing the number of businesses with commitment towards a balanced and inclusive “green economy”.
The conference was held for two days at the first Ethiopian fully green building, the Horn of Africa Regional Environment Center and Network (HoA-REC&N) inside Gullele Botanic Garden, while the fair continued for two days for public.
The Speaker of the Ethiopian House of Federation, Kassa Teklebrhan officiated the opening ceremony of the conference while Mr. Kebour Ghenna, the Executive Director of PACCI presented an overview of objectives of the conference, then Dr. Araya Asfaw – Executive Director of HoA-REC&N presented an introduction to the concept of “Green Business”.
Kebour Ghenna said Africa in an urgent need to increase the number of business that make sound policy,
Yodit Balcha, graduated from Mekelle University – Natural Resources Economies in 2006, with Master degree in 2011, now is running a kind of “green business”, here in the photo is showing a local lady how to use the bio-gas system; Yodit is the owner and the manager of “B-energy, Ethiopia”
technology, and investment choices that lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, “we also need more focus on clean and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and energy conservation”, Kebour added.
PACCI information: The newly inaugurated HoA-REC&N headquarters:
The HoA-REC&N relocated its headquarters to one of the first eco-friendly buildings in Ethiopia in June 2013. The new headquarter is placed on a hill in Gullele Botanic Garden (GBG), a newly established conservation initiative, creating a magnificent look of pristine forests and the pale blue Entoto mountains.
The building that lies on an area of 2,100 sq. meters was constructed mainly from environmental friendly local materials, which minimized environmental damages coming from the solid wastes of buildings. Environment friendly renewable energy supply facilities are used by
The HoA-REC&N relocated its headquarters to one of the first eco-friendly buildings in Ethiopia in June 2013
incorporating solar panels to generate electricity and using grid-electric power only as backup. This establishment is designed to sit harmoniously with the surrounding environmentally sensitive botanic garden without causing negative environmental impact. The new HoA-REC&N headquarters building qualifies for all major categories of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard for certification of green buildings. HOAREC&N’s new headquarter building expects to receive a high level of certification by meeting the established criteria for sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, material resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design and regional priority which are categories for which points are given based on meeting the established requirements in the LEED green building standard. The construction of this impressive green headquarters of HoA-REC&N at GBG was made possible by local and international team of architects. Along with office facilities, the new headquarters building has a simple cafeteria, library, multi-media center, world-class conference and events center.
