13 March, 2025
Built by Nature Reaches Beyond Europe in a Learning Partnership with CSFEP to Expand East Africa’s Biobased Construction Network
NAIROBI, March 13. Built by Nature is proud to announce its first grant project outside Europe, an initiative aimed at supporting the transition of construction in East Africa through the strengthening of a locally based biobased construction value chain. In collaboration with the Climate-Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) and its local team, the €250,000 grant seeks to support a regenerative forest economy for biobased construction and pilot innovative solutions to formalise a forest to frame regional economy.
CSFEP is leveraging its network and expertise in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to expand a coalition that advances the adoption of locally and responsibly sourced biobased materials in construction. The coalition unites diverse stakeholders, including small-holder foresters, manufacturers, government representatives, demand-side industry players, academics, and grassroots community actors, to tackle barriers and opportunities across the entire value chain—from forestry and timber supply to construction.
While BbN’s initiatives have primarily focused on demand-side construction sectors in six major European markets, this East African effort aims to adopt a holistic approach. By recognising the region’s market dynamics and its unique needs, the programme seeks to support an industry that supports local landscapes and communities to ensure long lasting local impact.
The initiative will focus on piloting solutions designed by the East African coalition and represents an important learning opportunity for Built by Nature and CSFEP. Both organisations will collaborate throughout the project to test assumptions around their respective models, gather key insights about how to best accelerate biobased construction in the region, and test the practical application of the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction.
Built by Nature CEO Paul King said: “With around 80% of future global construction projected to occur in the Global South over the next 30 years, East Africa represents a pivotal region for BbN to expand its impact. However, the complexities of timber sourcing and differences in how the industry is structured demand a tailored, learning-based approach. This partnership will combine the established network and local experience of CSFEP with the European best-practice knowledge of BbN for the benefit of the climate, nature and local communities.”
Bongiwe Shongwe, East Africa Program Manager at CSFEP, said: “Our partnership with Built by Nature represents a significant step in extending our vision of regenerative forest economies for biobased construction in East Africa, where the potential for impact is immense. This regional coalition will help to develop a local forest product industry that funds sustainable forest management, strengthens local economies, and maximises climate mitigation and adaptation.”
About the Climate-Smart Forest Economy Program
The Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) partners with communities, small businesses, governments, and actors in the enabling ecosystem to create local coalitions that redesign forest-related value chains for climate, biodiversity, and prosperity. It envisions a different future for forest economies: one that restores, not depletes, natural resources; reduces, not increases, emissions from value chains; and safeguards, not exploits, interests of smallholder and forest-dwelling communities[1].
[1] Clay K, Cooper L. Safeguarding against Harm in a Climate-Smart Forest Economy: Definitions, Challenges, and Solutions. Sustainability. 2022.