Stakeholders begin domestication of national building code

Stakeholders in the building sector have called for the domestication of the National Building Code (NBC) and up-skilling of artisans/craftsmen in Lagos State.

The experts also called for the development of a handbook from the code, which will spell out roles of each professional in the implementation of the regulation.

They spoke at a one-day sensitisation workshop for stakeholders organised by the Lagos State’s Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development (MPPUD) with support of the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) within the framework of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP).

The forum attracted professionals’ bodies, academia and regulatory bodies. The workshop served as a forum for to deliberate approaches toward domestication of the NBC and integration of the building energy efficiency code and green building principles.

Addressing participants, the state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, said the domestication of the NBC and its eventual launch as ‘Lagos State Building Code’ would be another milestone, adding that in specifying requirements for structural stability, durability and energy efficiency, the code will ensure that buildings are more resilient to disasters such as floods, fire outbreaks and collapse.

He said the government would adopt the peculiarities of Lagos and its different localities, while minimising costs of untold disasters outbreaks.

Without doubt, the successful domestication and subsequent evolution of a Lagos State Building Code will go down in the annals as first by any state of the Federation, while helping to depart from recourse to standards from other polities such as the British and American standards.

The advantage of this is legion and it includes the opportunity to focus on the peculiarities of our State, especially as a coastal, low- lying entity with urbanisation challenges. It is also a formula for effectively tackling incidents of building collapse,” Salako said. 

The Chairman Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos, David Majekodunmi, explained that the NBC is divided into the pre-design, design, construction and post-construction stages with 128 sections, adding that the seven professionals in housing sector, government, ministries and agencies, all have a role to play.

The Chief Executive Officer, ARUP, Kunle Adebajo, emphasised that the state don’t have to reinvent the wheel, adding that every part that don’t have relevance to Nigerian building sector should be jettisoned.

He called for indigenous rules for artisans and proper orientation of bricklayers, iron benders, carpenters and others, who are directly involved in construction activities.

The Permanent Secretary, State’s Ministry of Physical Planning &Urban Development, Mrs. Abiola Kosegbe, urged participants to leverage on the expertise gained from previous trainings, incorporate energy efficiency and green building principles in the design to achieve energy savings.

The Head of Programme, NESP, Mr. Duke Benjamin, expressed commitment towards domestication and pledged to provide technical assistance throughout the process.

The Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers, Dr. Isaac Akiije, wants control on the use of building materials during construction should be carried out by the structural engineers.