Climate Change: Architects charged on innovative solutions

The President of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Mrs Mobolaji Adeniyi, has urged her colleagues to be at the forefront of providing innovative solutions as the world battles with climate change.

Adeniyi, an architect, who spoke after her election as president of the NIA in Abuja, said as Nigeria navigates the current era of rapid urbanization, environmental challenges, and technological advancements, it is crucial that architects play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future.

She said, “Our actions matter, and the decisions we make today will have a profound impact on generations to come. It is through forums like this that we can collectively explore ways to address these challenges, leveraging our creative abilities and technical expertise to develop innovative solutions.”

The outgone president of the institute, Enyi Ben-Eboh, said architects needed to take climate change impacts on the built environment seriously.

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“We are all witnesses to the extreme and often unprecedented climate activities taking place around the world and we must see what we can do to mitigate the negative consequences of our industry in this regard.

“The global status report for buildings and construction released at the latest round of climate talks held in Egypt in 2022, COP27, revealed that our sector accounted for over 34% of energy demand and about 37% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021. Through design and proper specifications, we can reduce these numbers appreciably.

“Another area we would be focusing on is in the area of Afrocentric architecture. For too long, we have operated under the influence of styles and cultures that are alien to our unique and often diverse cultures, climate, and art forms.

“If we must remain relevant within the architectural space, we must begin to evolve sustainable ways of providing shelter that is uniquely ours and meet all indices of sustainability while satisfying function and durability.

“With the high cost of energy these days, we cannot afford designs that would be energy guzzling and making running cost quite huge while also giving due consideration to the environment,” she said.