The installation of the rooftop solar panels is part of a strategy to position The Hub Karen Mall, as Africa’s premier green shopping destination.
According to Azalea Holdings Director, Philippe Cauviere, the solar farm project will generate 660,000 KWh of power per year, enough to provide for the entire day needs of the mall.
“Apart from the cost saving benefits, we are leveraging on renewable energy to address the larger environmental challenges facing the world today,” said Cauviere, adding that, “From the architectural conceptualization to the implementation of respective technologies, The Hub Karen Mall serves as a benchmark for green building construction.”
The 35,000-square-metres mall- a lifestyle destination for work, play and leisure- is part of international businessman, Mr. Humphrey Kariuki’s investment portfolio and opened shop in February 2016.
The mall hosts local and international retailers. Some of the brands in the mall include the French retail giant Carrefour, Furniture Palace, Funscapes, F&F fashion, Bossini, Adidas, Reebok, Burger King, Dominos, KFC, Artcaffe and Ocean Basket among others.
An expected increase in the share of green buildings is foreseen in the next few years, largely as a result of companies intensifying their involvement in the growing global green agenda.
The solar power project is currently undergoing regulatory approvals and installation is expected to start once the approvals are finalised.
The Hub Karen Mall is a premier shopping mall located in the beautiful leafy suburbs of Karen Nairobi catering to unique experiences and aims to trigger three of our five senses; Taste, Color and Sound all while placing importance on Real Estate in The Service of the Community.
The HUB Karen is all about experience. The Hub is an environment where you can spend the whole day with all your needs being under one roof; from fashion, to entertainment, to fine dining and beyond. The Hub hosts both local and international retailers all while supporting small businesses.
The Hub Karen has been developed over two phases, the first phase being a 35,000sqm gross area (excluding parking), featuring a retail, offices, medical, wellness centre which opened on February 4th 2016; phase 2 will include more parking bays and a hotel/conference centre.
Currently, The Hub Karen is enjoying a more than 55,000 weekly foot-fall and features secure parking bays with a capacity to hold more than 1200 vehicles. The destination mall also features a variety of more than 1300 eatery seats and 85 shopping stores.
Steven Umidha is a data and financial journalist with over 15 years of work experience in journalism and communication.
He specialises in finance and economics reporting as well as on the causes, impacts, and solutions of global warming, conservation, pollution and sustainability, often blending scientific literacy with journalist ethics, while involving policy analysis and multimedia storytelling across various platforms in highlighting issues from biodiversity loss to ecological justice.
He is the founder of Financial Fortune Media, and a Co-founder of One Planet Agency (OPA). He has previously worked with the Standard Media Group, Mediamax Networks LTD, bird story agency, Business Journal Africa, and Financial Post among other outlets.
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