GREENVILLE ESTATE-NAIROBI . GREEN ARCHITECTURE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

GREENVILLE ESTATE-NAIROBI

GREENVILLE ESTATE-NAIROBI . GREEN ARCHITECTURE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.

Ground Floor Units:

1 Bed roomed with 1 extra bed space-KES 1,900,000

Maisonette Units:

Option [a]

3 Bed roomed [2 bedrooms ensuite] with 1 extra bed space-KES 3,700,000

Option

1 Bed roomed with 1 extra bed space plus 1 bed roomed rental unit upstairs-KES 3,700,000

Option [c]

I bed roomed with 1 extra bed space plus 2 No. bedsitters for rent upstairs-KES 3,700,000

Greenville estate is located in Nairobi and has been designed with the concept of Green Architecture' in mind.

Solar power

The houses have the electrical wiring designed such that it can accommodate both KPLC wiring and Solar Power wiring. This gives the owners a choice to choose between KPLC electricity usage or Free Solar electricity or both.All rooms have been designed with adequate window openings so as to save on using electricity to light up the house during the day.All rooms also have been designed to allow for natural corss-ventialtion thereby avoiding use of mechanical ventilation[air conditioning].

24 Hr. Irrigated gardens.

The grey' water from the kitchen sinks and showers is drained separately to soak pits along the landscaped gardens. This recycles the water which is then used to irrigate the gardens and maintain a green fresh look all year round at no cost.Palm trees around the car park area are also irrigated form this water.Edible fruit-bearing trees and edible flowers have been used as part of the decorating landscaping on the lawns.These can be used to increase nutrition levels of the owners.

Communal Car Park -SAFE CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA

Greenville estate has been designed to accommodate a 5 No. Car park in a communal car-park design. This ensures that cars do not drive through internally hence making it safer for small children to play within the landscaped front and back yards.

Lower Maintenance costs.

The Greenville estate has been designed such that the materials used for construction require the lowest maintenance costs.Finishes such as hand-dressed external masonry walling which require zero maintenance costs have been used.Roof materials such as natural clay roofing tiles which rain water runoff can be used for human consumption and also become more aesthetically appealing as time goes by have been used.

Use of Non-toxic materials

Careful selection of all materials used in construction within Greenville estate has been done.Materials that emit hazardous chemicals through solid, liquid or gaseous state have been excluded.

Asbestos

Asbestos is found on some roofing materials and vinyl floor tiles.Finishes that contain asbestos which has been found to lead to certain cancers have been excluded in the Greenville Housing project.

Lead

Lead is hazardous to human health and is found in certain types of paints. Source: US Govt Department of Safety.

In developed countries such as U.S.A, they have passed Laws that require home sellers and Landlords to disclose to tenants/purchasers on the presence of Lead-based painting.

In 1996, the US Federal Government passed the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992,also known as Title X. Source:U.S.A Govt.

This law is summarized as below:LANDLORDS: Landlords to disclose to tenants the side effects of Lead-based paint before leases take effect.The Lease agreement must contain information regarding the hazardous effects of Lead-based paint.SELLERS: Sellers to disclose to tenants the side effects of Lead-based paint before leases take effect.The Sale agreement must contain information regarding the hazardous effects of Lead-based paint. Buyers are allowed 10 days maximum to conduct tests for presence of Lead.RENOVATORS: Renovators working on a house are instructed to give the occupants information on the hazardous effect of Lead-based paint. Lead-based paint usually contaminates humans when they ingest loose paint chippings and paint dust.

In the Greenville Estate homes, even though the Kenya Government has not set up measures to prevent Lead-based paint poisoning in homes, the firm of www.a4architect.com has gone a step further to inform Kenyans on the hazardous effects of Lead in Paint and specified safe paints to be used in the Project.

Private Member's Bill

The firm of www.a4architect.com has initiated and sponsored a Private Member's Bill in Parliament seeking to enact a Law in Kenya that protects Kenyans from exposure to hazardous Lead and other Heavy metals present in Construction materials especially paint. www.a4architect.com hopes that when passed, this new Law will save many a Kenyan family from having to deal with the side-effects of Heavy Metal poisoning which is very hazardous to Pregnant women and children below the age of six years.

Non-Toxic Paint types:

There are 3 categories of non-toxic paints/wall finishes:

1.Natural finishes; These are finishes made from natural materials such as Mazeras floor tiles.Also, certain types of paint made from natural materials such as bees wax, lime, clay/earth pigments.These are very safe for use since they do not release any hazardous chemicals.

2. Zero VOC [Volatile Organic Compound].

These are paints that have a VOC of less than 5 grammes per liter.

3. Low VOC [Volatile Organic Compound].

These are paints that use water instead of petroleum compounds as solvent. These types of paint contain none or very minute amounts of Lead and formaldehyde.Paints with VOC lower than 25 grammes per liter fall within this category.

Wall finishes and paint used in Greenville is carefully selected to make sure that it conforms to specified health and safety international standards.

Urea-Formaldehyde.

Scientific experiments show that Urea-formaldehyde can cause cancer on mice. This has however not been proved in humans.Formaldehyde is present in the glue that holds MDF and HDF, a common material used in the building industry. MDF is found on doors and furniture [desks, wardrobes, shelves].

Below is a picture of household furniture made of MDF Boards

From mdfHDF is used to manufacture wood-plastic floor and wall laminate finishes.

Below is a picture of floor finish made of HDF Board

From mdfSource: Wikipedia

All doors and furniture used in Greenville estate conform to the required Health and Safety International standards.

Most European countries have kept strict standards on the MDF and HDF glues to E1 Level of emission. The Greenville Estate building materials have been carefully selected to comfort to this high standard.

The lowest level of Formaldehyde Emission by MDF/HDF boards is E0. This means zero emission.

This is followed by E1, E2 and E 3 respectively.

E3 MDF/HDF has the highest Formaldehyde Emission and is therefore not desirable.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified formaldehyde from "probably carcinogenic to humans" to "carcinogenic to humans" in 2004, based on the increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. Formaldehyde was also designated as a toxic air contaminant (TAC) in California in 1992 with no safe level of exposure. State law requires ARB to take action to reduce human exposure to all TACs.

President Obama

In U.S.A, President Obama recently signed the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Act into law[July 7th, 2010]. The law aims to reduce the emissions of formaldehyde from composite wood products, and for other purposes. Source:US Govt

Although in Kenya we still do not have such Laws in place to protect house occupants from the hazardous effects of Carcinogenic Formaldehyde found in MDF boards[mainly used to make furniture] and HDF boards[mainly used to make floor board laminates], the firm of www.a4architect.com has taken the initiative to inform Kenyans of the hazards of Formaldehyde in Construction materials and careful selection of materials that do not contain Fomaldehyde has been done in the Greenville Estate houses.

Private Members Bill

The firm of www.a4architect.com has initiated and sponsored a Private Members Bill in Parliament seeking to set up Laws that regulate importation and sale of MDF and HDF boards that have a high Emission of Carcinogenic Formaldehyde in Kenya. www.a4architect.com hopes that when passed, this Law will assist many Kenyans in avoiding contact with this hazardous chemical and eventually lower their chances of developing Cancer.

The Greenville Estate design has factored all this research in keeping in line with the Green Architecture' concept.

Conclusion.

Greenville Estate is the first in Kenya to offer truly Green' living to its occupants.The firm of www.a4architect.com has done research on construction materials and global trends in Housing provision and has taken every care to ensure that occupants at Greenville are given the best quality Housing at the most competitive price in Kenya.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau B.Arch U.o.N M.A.A.K[A]

Registered Architect

a4architect

GREENVILLE ESTATE-NAIROBI . GREEN ARCHITECTURE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

By: Frank Gichuhi

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