Panelists at a two-day conference in Lagos on Monday the 30th of May called for the education of Nigerians to understand and embrace green construction culture toward mitigating climate change and enhancing health.
The panelists at the 10th Unite ESG Summit with the theme: Towards a Sustainable Culture. Said green construction would safeguard health, environment, and socioeconomic well-being.
Speaking on the topic, Sustainable Building – Land Use, Regulations, Design, Planning, Construction, Technology, and Materials. The panelists emphasized how all factors must interplay for green construction efficiency.
List of panelists who contributed to the topic, Sustainable Building – Land Use, Regulations, Design, Planning, Construction, Technology, and Materials:
- Obas Ebohon
- Jumoke Akinwunmi
- Temitope Runsewe
- Olawale Ayilara
- Muritala Ibrahim
- Jumoke Adegunle
Obas Ebohon
Obas Ebohon, a professor of Sustainability and Environmental Law, London South Bank University (LSBU), called on governments to develop standard policies for sustainable construction.
Ebohon stressed the need for cultural re-orientation to help Nigerians understand the need for green buildings toward environmental sustainability to safeguard citizens’ health while also protecting the environment.
Jumoke Akinwunmi
The Managing Director/Co-Founder of Alitheia Capital, Jumoke Akinwunmi said that government participation alone could not achieve the adoption of the method except with the active support of the private sector.
According to her, the most laudable innovations are achieved by the private sector.
Speaking on the high cost of construction of greenhouses, Akinwunmi stressed the need to look out for the long-term goal, saying that future maintenance could be cheaper.
Temitope Runsewe
Mr. Temitope Runsewe, Managing Director. Dutum Construction Ltd. said that the government must ensure adequate regulation of stakeholders in the construction sector toward achieving environmental sustainability.
Runsewe advised that experts and academia must collaborate to equip students with the modern and advanced technology and skills needed for a greener environment.
Olawale Ayilara
The Founder and Managing Director, Landwey, Mr. Olawale Ayilara, stressed the need for project designs to factor in all the variables needed for sustainability in building.
According to him, the key is being deliberate about each project and how it will impact the future.
Muritala Ibrahim
The Managing Director, Misa Group, Mr. Muritala Ibrahim, called for regulation of settlements saying that overdevelopment of any portion of land would always affect the settlement.
Ibrahim added that there is rampant sand filling, and nobody is asking where is all the water going. He said before building a high-rise anywhere, there was supposed to be a traffic impact analysis to know how the project would affect congestion and before sand filling, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be conducted.
Ibrahim said there must be deliberate policies to ensure the education of local communities on the impact of their actions and inactions toward embracing a sustainability culture. He added that if we don’t, we would all suffer for it.
Jumoke Adegunle
The Managing Director, Master Builders, Jumoke Adegunle, called for the popularisation and use of advanced chemicals as additives. To help reduce the health danger posed by using cement.
She said as sustainable as cement was for construction, it had no alternatives but its use was responsible for nine percent of greenhouse emissions.
She said the advanced chemicals helped in 3-D construction, reduced using of cement, and enabled environment-friendly buildings. Adegunle said that sustainable cement had existed for over 10 years but nobody was using it.
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