Architects to discuss housing policies

The Nigerian Institute of Architects says it plans to beam the searchlight on policy issues and how they affect the housing sector. The NIA said the programme tagged, ‘Archibuilt’, would also feature an array of interactive discussions and brainstorming sessions on building collapse, construction and finance, and eco-friendly and sustainable housing development regulations in the building industry. The institute said the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, would lead the Federal Government delegation and would be accompanied by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, among other personalities. The exhibition, an annual event, would hold from August 28 in Abuja, to further lift architecture and the polity, with ‘Driving Nigerian architecture through technology’ as its theme, the institute said. According to the NIA, Archibuilt has continued to bring to the fore trends, technologies, systems and policy issues that impact the building industry’s intervention and responses to everyday living. The institute said, “Some of the partners and sponsors of the programme are the Federal Ministry of Housing, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Plascon Paints, Bosch and Flexi-Clay, among others. Already, about 100 exhibitors have promised to take stands during the four-day event; 250 exhibiting companies are expected to engage about 3,000 estimated registrants. “Originally midwifed and driven by NIA, Archibuilt was registered as corporate venture under Archibuilt Development Services Limited and has been trading as such since 2012.” The Chairman, ADSL, Mr Jimoh Faworaja, was quoted to have said Archibuilt 2019 Exposition would be a forum that would give participants and organisers a great tool for direct communication and value exchange between architects, consultants, contractors, developers and consumers in the built environment. He said it would also be an effective method for promotion and growth of architectural engineering and design brands. Faworaja, a former NIA president, added that the event would showcase how professionals, indigenous manufacturers, retailers and regulators had been leveraging the use of innovative technology to tackle the challenges in the constantly evolving and growing building, development and construction sector bringing global standards and practices to Nigeria. The Director, Archibuilt, Mobolaji Adeniyi, said the event had continued to bring to the fore trends and policy issues that could impact the building industry positively. Adeniyi said participants would engage in training, workshops and comprehensive discussions on issues such as affordable housing, building technology, building maintenance, facility management, construction safety and hazards and how to use building technology to promote architecture in Nigeria.