The Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) is set to establish a Technology Village for display of multiple Alternative Building Technologies developed by it in Abuja.
The Acting Director General/ CEO of NBRRI, Prof. Samson Duna made this known in an exclusive interview with Africa Housing News in Abuja stating that NBRRI has clearly distinguished itself by producing standard research outputs and innovations targeted at providing a variety of alternatives to existing technologies in the construction industry, but does not have a platform to showcase all of the innovations to prospective users.
According to him, the Institute’s lack of veritable platform to display its researches has largely been responsible for the perception that the Institute has not been doing enough in its core area of research and innovation, adding that the Technology Village, when set up, would tackle housing challenges by taking practical measures that will ensure a paradigm shift from the era of theoretical analysis to justifiable actions.
“People find it very difficult to believe some of the things do. Our effort now is to acquire land and build the Technology Village, so that all findings of our experiments in the laboratory, we will try to demonstrate them there for people to see what we do.
The adoption of innovation in the construction industry will lead to and hasten efficiency as far as operation is concerned. Innovation might just be the key to reducing the lack of buildings that we have. As such, we have to look towards local and cost effective building technologies and materials that serve as substitute to the existing ones we have, so that people can afford to own a house.” he said.
He went on to say the Technology Village would help present NBRRI’s projects and innovations to all Nigerians and make the new building methods and technologies available and accessible to all those who will be interested, especially built and construction industry experts.
“Every finding as far as road is concerned, in terms of building and all of our findings, we will use it to construct things and then invite people because when the eye sees, words are few. This is what NBRRI is doing and once this Technology Village is there, we will be able to convince people to patronize us.”
The NBRRI boss further explained that alternative building techniques are an excellent strategy to solving the high cost of housing provision and should be considered as they are much simpler and cheaper to implement, and will give a powerful thrust to the Nigerian Housing Industry.
While giving recommendations, Professor Duna stated that NBRRI should be restructured and adequately funded by government to perform its statutory role and birth new building innovations of the decade, while also adding that representatives of relevant professional bodies, stakeholders and the Organized Private Sector should be nominated into the policy making organs to foster free flow of ideas and communication.
He also called on the Federal government and the FCT Administration to approve the construction of the Technology Village and provide land and funding for the speedy construction of the village as there is no better time to build it than now.
