By Isqil Najim
The President of Nigerian Society of Engineers, (NSE) Engr Margaret Oguntala has expressed readiness of the NSE, to partner with Green Building Council, Nigeria to promote green building practices in Nigeria.
She said this while delivering Goodwill Address at during the Green Building Council Nigeria cocktail meeting that held on 16th February 2024 at Oriental hotels Lekki Lagos.
Speaking through the NSE Vice President, Membership, Engr Rose Madaki, who represented her, Oguntala said the reality of climate change and its impacts are self-evidence on a global scale. She added, that the impact are also felt in Africa, where urbanisation is rife and population is on the increased.
According to her, “The building construction sector is globally responsible for about 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), a major contributor to climate change.” and therefore must be at the vanguard of promoting Green Building practices.
She recalled that the immediate past president of Nigeria, President, Muhammadu Buhari, at COP26 in Glasgow, announced that Nigeria will cut its carbon emissions and reach net-zero by 2060.
To match words with action the President on”arriving from COP26 subsequently signed into law a new climate bill that creates five-year emission budgets, with a view to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions between 2050 and 2070.”
“To this end, the Federal Government of Nigeria decided to develop its long term-low emission development strategy (LT-LEDS) as part of her onus to ensure a low-carbon future, with an initial focus on a Long-Term Vision to 2050 for the country. We hope that policy is still in place.” She said
According to her, Green Buildings “offer green recovering measures in combating the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conventional energy consumption in buildings. Furthermore, with the current economic turbulence, where utility bills are on the high side, green buildings have not only helped to reduce the utility bills, but also help to eliminate the effects of sick building syndrome.”
She commended the Green Building Council, Nigeria for taking over the responsibility to promote green building practice in Nigeria.
She however warned that this a onerous task and the journey to see its total implementation will not be easy, but expressed optimism that, “with total commitment and strong resilience including engaging appropriate stakeholders and policy makers, the vision will be achieved.”
She announced the readiness of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE to partner and work in unison with the Green Building Council, Nigeria to drive the processes of green building practices and its implementation in Nigeria.
Green Building Council, Nigeria (GBCN) is a membership-based non-governmental organization registered under Nigeria’s Company & Allied Matters Act.It is a member (Prospective GBC) of the World Green Building Council. As such, it is part of a network of over seventy national green building councils from all regions of the world, twelve of them located in Africa. The World GBC acts as a networking and coordinating body for these national GBCs. Its mission is “To lead the transformation of Nigeria’s built environment to create buildings and communities that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable through engagement and partnerships with all green building stakeholders”.