Konza leans on waste management systems, green buildings for a sustainable Silicon Savannah

The technopolis, which aims to host technology companies, data centres, residential occupants, learning institutions, hospitals, a stadium and other social amenities, has incorporated sustainability initiatives in the smart city planning and execution of projects.

In 2024, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics valued Kenya’s ICT sector at Ksh. 364 billion. As this value continues to rise, the sector is also looking at sustainability initiatives to match the energy demands that will arise from technological growth.

To ensure the smart city stays green, Ms. Josephine Ndambuki, the Chief Manager, Business Development and Innovation, says 30% of the technopolis will comprise green spaces.

“We are in a massive tree-planting exercise and other green efforts,” Ms. Ndambuki told Citizen Digital in a tour of the Silicon Savannah.

Green buildings

According to Annah Musyimi, the Chief Manager, Physical Planning, Design and Compliance, Konza is keen on achieving green standards in all its buildings.

Currently, its utility network entails a water recycling plan, where sanitary blocks re-use recycled water from a water treatment plant.

“Buildings have double piping in their plumbing. One for portable use, water and recycled water for non-portable use such as toilet flushing,” Ms Musyimi explains.

Another sustainability standard is in energy utilisation within the Silicon Savannah. Here, an automatic sensor system controls lighting in shared rooms, where the lights automatically go on when required and off when not in use.

“The exterior building materials also have a time-lag for heat transfer into the space,” she adds.

The buildings, Ms. Musyimi says, also have double glazing on their windows to reduce heat loss. This way, the occupants of the buildings do not have to rely on air conditioners when there are high temperatures.

The Smart City also looks at the North/South and East/West orientation of its buildings and has implemented a stack effect to regulate temperatures.  

Waste management

Upon its completion, the smart city plans to host 3.6 million people, hence the need to put in place a comprehensive waste management system.

Recently, the technopolis unveiled an automated pneumatic waste collection system. The system, developed by global environmental technology leader Envac, has the capacity to manage up to 40 tons of solid waste per day, with the waste separated at source into organic, mixed, plastic, and paper categories.

The waste management system consists of 100 waste disposal points, a 15-kilometre underground pipe network, 880 automated valves and 220 additional disposal points. It also has Sensor-activated inlets that trigger a vacuum cycle when full and a centralised waste collection station for sorting and dispatch.

This system, which eliminates the use of traditional garbage bags and trucks, is expected to serve the 30,000 residents expected in Phase One of the project.

E-waste management

With the increasing popularity of artificial intelligence, more so Generative AI solutions, the amount of electronic waste (e-waste) is also expected to rise.

A study published in Nature Computational Science in 2024 projected a sharp increase in e-waste, predicting 1.2-5.0 million metric tons of waste by 2030.

In Kenya, the 2025 Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) showed an increase in e-waste, which grew from 51.9 thousand metric tonnes in 2023 to 53.6 thousand metric tonnes in 2024.

Konza, therefore, banks on an e-waste management system to ensure proper handling of the waste to attain environmental sustainability amid technological advancements.

Ms. Ndambuki says the technopolis is working on developing an e-waste management plant that will serve the Silicon Savannah and beyond.

In order to implement the e-waste management plan beyond the smart city, Konza has set up collection points in the digital hubs being set up in various constituencies.

The technopolis also aims to implement the sustainability projects in the 10-kilometre buffer zone within its borders.