Building institute urges professionals to adopt best practices

The Chairman of Nigerian Institute Of Building (NIOB), FCT Chapter, Usman Okehi, has called on professionals in the industry to adopt international best practices in their operations in country.

Okehi said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

He said Nigerian building industry was a critical sector of the economy, contributing significantly to growth and development of the society.

He urged them to be climate-friendly in the course of their jobs.

“We cannot rely solely on the common renewable energy solutions currently available to us.

“There is need to explore other reliable and sustainable options like gas, which we have in abundance in the country.

“The integration of gas systems in residential, commercial and industrial development has become inevitable.

“This is considering the amount of gas available in Nigeria and the continuous rise in the demand for energy-efficient and sustainable building solutions,” Okehi said.

He said there was need to adopt safety and environmental measures to incorporate gas systems in private and commercial buildings.

“It is our responsibility as professionals and regulators to ensure these systems are functional, safe and environmentally sound.

“This is what obtains in other countries where they have gas reticulation in their environment.

“These days, there are lots of technology that go with gas reticulation such that if there are leakages it will automatically shut down the supply,” Okehi said.

He said that technological advancements make it possible to detect leakages and automatically shut off supply.

“We are not looking at only new buildings. Almost all of us have cylinders, some of us even have one inside our kitchen and some just outside; we live around gas.

“As long as you comply with the safety standards and requirements, there won’t be any problem.

“There are many buildings in this country that have gas reticulation. They are existing; already and there are no cases of accident,” Okehi said.

He called stakeholders to have open mind about gas and explore the opportunities that abound in gas reticulation.

Okehi blamed building collapse in country on the activities of quacks, saying there was need for continuous monitoring and advocacy to address it.