‘Building technology now makes home delivery faster, affordable’

Building environment experts have revealed that cutting-edge technology holds key to lower house prices and increasing affordable housing stocks that could mitigate the nation’s deficit.

According to them, with the latest technological invention in building construction, homes can be easily made through the use of ‘form works or aluminum mold’ down to the top without the normal traditional-foundational laying of blocks.

The method comes with advantages including saving cost in the hiring of artisans, efficiency and higher turnaround in timing. One of the organisations using one of the technologies is Ogun State Property Investment Company (OPIC), which adopted formworks in the development of New Makun City, a 750-hectare new city development along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

Revealing this at the just concluded Lagos International Housing Fair, an exhibition of products and services in building and construction industry, Business Director of OPIC, Dehinde Boye said technology could speed up mass housing delivery in Nigeria.

At the event, which brought together experts, financiers, regulators, researchers and core professionals in the built industry from within and outside the country, Boye who represented the Managing Director of OPIC stressed that the use of firework/aluminum mould has taken over from the normal foundation laying with blocks.

“Houses can now be delivered in just four days. The system is against the traditional way of placing one block on the other, the carcasses can be put in place in days. It makes delivery of houses a bit less difficult in terms of time and cost”.

“The process include; building foundation is carried out as normal, fitting of reinforcement bars, placement of electrical fittings, installation of aluminum frameworks and concrete filling, then the removal of Aluminum frameworks to reveal building structure. Some of the benefits also include; environmentally friendly, faster turn around time- 10 days to fully complete house and improved strength of building.

For the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Prof. Danladi Slim Matawal, sustainable building materials technologies sourced locally can greatly curtail economic and resource inputs, improve labour productivity of building inhabitants, and reduce environmental impacts.

According to him, such presents large opportunities for research institutes such as NBRRI, chemicals and local building materials companies to carve out early entry and incumbent positions in the buildings and infrastructural space for housing development in Nigeria.

He explained that local manufacturers of construction materials needs to network more in order to create and develop a realistic data based on activities, innovations and the needs for the construction industry and identify ways and means of improving on the quality of their products and packaging.

Speaking on the theme: “High Costs Of Building Construction: The Need For Alternative And Sustainable Building Materials For Housing Development” Matawal stressed that governments at all levels need to encourage the use of locally sourced building materials by using them in their projects and effectively participate in the industry, in training and retraining of artisans for necessary skills required.

He disclosed that work is on-going in achieving the development of Pilot Plant for Production of NBRRI Blended Cement from Clay and Volcanic Ash Plant.

According to him, NBRRI’s efforts in the development and promotion of alternative and sustainable construction materials have given birth to inventions such as; Stonecrete Blocks, Fibre Cement Roofing Materials, and NBRRI Brick/Block making Machines.