Healthy walls, healthy nation: Why indoor air quality should be part of Kenya’s building agenda

By Kelvin Munyi

When Kenyans talk about pollution, the conversation almost always drifts to traffic fumes, industrial emissions or burning waste. Yet the invisible air we breathe indoors – in our homes, schools, and hospitals – may pose a bigger threat.

Studies by the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggest that indoor air pollution can be two to five times worse than outdoor air. For many families in Nairobi’s new high-rise apartments, students in freshly built classrooms, or patients admitted to new hospitals, the risk often lies not on the streets but on the walls around them.

A major source of this danger are the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – chemicals released by traditional paints, adhesives, and finishes. These emissions may be odourless and invisible, but they are far from harmless.

Long-term exposure to VOCs has been linked to respiratory illnesses, asthma, headaches, and in extreme cases, more serious chronic conditions. Children, the elderly, and hospitalised patients are especially vulnerable.

The good news is that safer, low-VOC alternatives are available. These paints and finishes provide the same durability and colour vibrancy without the toxic emissions. However, in Kenya’s booming construction sector, awareness and adoption remain limited.

This blind spot matters because Kenya is urbanising at one of the fastest rates in Africa, with an annual growth rate of nearly four pecent. Estimates show the country faces an annual demand of about 250,000 housing units but delivers only around 50,000, leaving a shortfall of nearly 200,000 homes each year.

Most of this demand is concentrated in urban centres, where people spend more than 80 percent of their time indoors. If the walls of these homes, offices, and schools are emitting hazardous compounds, the scale of the public health challenge will expand in step with the housing deficit.

The economic implications are also significant. Poor indoor air quality contributes to rising non-communicable diseases, which already account for a growing share of Kenya’s healthcare burden. More asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses, and allergy-related conditions mean higher medical bills for families, lost productivity for employers, and added strain on public health financing. Kenya’s ambition for universal health coverage could be undermined if indoor pollutants quietly expand the pool of chronic illnesses.

Globally, the real estate and construction sectors are moving to address these risks. Green building certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) now include indoor air quality standards, while corporates increasingly demand healthier workplaces as part of their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments.

Investors, too, are measuring wellness and sustainability when backing developments. For Kenya, which positions itself as a hub for green finance and climate-conscious investment, ignoring indoor air quality could become a disadvantage.

Encouragingly, the local construction industry has already embraced elements of sustainability. Energy-efficient lighting, solar rooftops, and water-saving systems are now common in new commercial projects. The next frontier should be what happens inside the walls.

Developers who integrate wellness into design by choosing low-VOC paints, improving ventilation, and monitoring indoor pollutants, can set themselves apart in a crowded market. For hospitals and schools, the business case is even clearer. Cleaner indoor air translates to better recovery for patients and improved concentration and attendance for students.

The regulatory framework is still evolving. Kenya’s building codes are well established on matters such as structural integrity, fire safety, and accessibility, but indoor air quality is yet to feature prominently.

As demand for healthier and more sustainable buildings grows, there is an opportunity to gradually integrate guidelines on VOC emissions and indoor pollutants, starting with priority projects like schools, hospitals, and housing schemes. Experiences from South Africa, the European Union, and parts of Asia show that such measures can be phased in successfully. For Kenya, early steps in this direction would both support public health and reinforce ongoing commitments to sustainability and climate goals.

Importantly, this shift is not about luxury or exclusivity. Low-VOC paints and finishes are no longer niche or imported products; they are becoming more affordable and accessible in the local market.

Much like energy-efficient bulbs, which moved from novelty to common use within a decade, safer building materials can achieve broad uptake with a balance of consumer awareness, supportive policies, and industry education. Public projects such as schools and hospitals could set useful examples that encourage wider adoption across the private sector.

Kenya’s construction boom is shaping the skylines of its cities and the daily environments of millions of citizens. But buildings are more than bricks and mortar. They are the lungs of our urban future. If walls become silent polluters, the legacy will be measured not only in skylines but in hospital visits and economic costs. Indoor air quality is not a side issue. It is a public health necessity.

Time has come for the conversation on housing and infrastructure to move beyond how many units we can build, to how safe and healthy those spaces are. Kenya has an opportunity to lead the region by embedding wellness into construction standards. A healthy nation may well depend on the quality of the air we breathe, indoors as much as outdoors.

Kelvin Munyi is the Marketing Manager at Crown Paints Group.  Email:[email protected]