Efficiency for Access has released a report titled Designing for Sustainability: Blueprint for a Low-Carbon Cold Room, presenting a set of 10 best practices for reducing the environmental impact of solar-powered cold rooms. The guidance is based on a pilot project in Homa Bay, Western Kenya, which aimed to minimise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through design, materials, and lifecycle analysis.
The cold room was developed with support from Siemens Stiftung’s Cents4Sense initiative and the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund, with local implementation by We!Hub Victoria Limited (WeTu). It was constructed using locally sourced, renewable materials and features a standalone solar-powered system using SelfChill cooling technology from German company Phaesun GmbH.
Compared to a standard cold room insulated with regulated polyurethane sandwich panels, the Homa Bay unit achieved a 63% reduction in embedded GHG emissions and a 20% cost saving. The system also emits nearly four times fewer GHG emissions over a 20-year lifespan than grid-connected alternatives, even in regions with relatively clean energy grids such as Kenya.
The project addressed emissions not only from operation but also from material sourcing and manufacturing. By designing with local materials, the cold room became more affordable, easier to maintain, and better suited to the local context, according to the report.
“The cold room is based on SelfChill solar cooling units, which ensure maximum sustainability by using natural refrigerant and thermal storage to generate cold,” said Florian Martini, Research and Innovation Manager, Phaesun GmbH.
Jakub Vrba, Senior Research Lead at Energy Saving Trust and co-Secretariat of Efficiency for Access, added: “Locally assembled, solar-powered cold rooms can help mitigate GHG emissions, bolster food security, and improve livelihoods. This report demonstrates the value of using life cycle assessment to create high-performing and truly sustainable cooling solutions where they are needed most.”
