Growth & Jobs | Action conservation strategies in construction industry - JN Foundation

IN A bid to promote climate resilience among local residential and commercial industries, the JN Foundation has launched its upcoming Climate Change, Sustainability, and Innovation Water Summit, which will be held May 13-14.

The two-day virtual event will educate the public on the devastating effects of climate change on small island developing states (SIDS) while proposing solutions to Jamaica’s ongoing severe water-management and water-supply issues.

Parris Lyew-Ayee, chairman of the JN Foundation, said: “We’re leading the charge in addressing this important and topical issue that befalls small-island countries such as ourselves. Many Jamaicans have noted and have personally experienced the problem of inconsistent water supply, especially in longer drought periods. We want our private citizens and local industries to, as a standard, utilise the available water-adaptation technologies in their homes, businesses, and within the construction sector to lessen the inevitable effects of climate change on the country.”

Lyew-Ayee made the comments while addressing the media launch of the summit recently at the JN Financial Services Centre Boardroom on Belmont Road in Kingston. “As the local population continues to grow, the demand for reliable water supply is increasing. This, coupled with extreme weather events such as storms and droughts happening more frequently, has had a serious and negative impact on our local communities. This is why it is important that our government implements an impactful, scalable model for greater water efficiency in Jamaica,” he added.

In addition to hosting discussions and panels on the topic and showcasing the entrepreneurial efforts of local business that promote water efficiency, the summit will particularly address and seek to effect changes within the Jamaican housing sector by obtaining a commitment from the Government of Jamaica to action water-conservation strategies.

To this end, the JN Climate Change, Sustainability, and Innovation Water Summit will aggressively advocate for the outfitting of all future housing projects with water- conservation fittings and systems, such as rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, water-efficient faucets, and shower heads and aerators, as a minimum standard. This will especially include the 70,000 housing units that will be constructed through the National Housing Trust and the Housing Agency of Jamaica to achieve Goal 4 of Vision 2030 by year 2023.

The summit is the culmination of a series of activities that comprise The Water Project Jamaica, a four-year project executed by the JN Foundation in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank that focuses on the important role that householders and developers should play to improve efficient water use in the housing sector.

The conference is open to members of the public. Persons can register on the JN Foundation website at www.jnfoundation.com to attend the virtual summit.