The recently commissioned Cosgrove Smart Estate in Wuye, Abuja, has given the capital city panache in the property sector.
Cosgrove Investment Limited, an indigenous real estate company has taken the lead in developing the first fully-automated super-smart estate in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Since the federal capital city was moved from Lagos to Abuja, officially, in 1991, the pace of development in the real estate sector has not slowed down.
Tapping into the huge potential, the high-end property market offers in Abuja, Cosgrove has launched its smart estate in the serene ambiance of the less popular but smug Wuye district.
The estate, which exposes the latest innovations and technology in housing development, also shows Cosgrove’s determination to build eco-friendly homes in the face of the challenges thrown up by climate change.
Findings by Daily Trust showed that the firm deployed the world-class Building Information Modelling (BIM) process and other latest advancements in automation in building the homes.
“It is part of our corporate values to deploy systems that are uncommon in our milieu, proven and ready for tomorrow’s technology,” Umar Abdullahi, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, said, during the commissioning recently.
Abdullahi also said the firm places priority on the structural integrity of its homes, going by the rampant cases of building collapses in the country.
“The company’s resolve to use British Standard Steel (BSS) and Ready-Made Concrete (RMC) irrespective of cost is to deliver the best structural integrity. Cosgrove is the brand that has decided not to cut cost at the expense of compromising standards.”
Explaining what it means to live in a smart home, he explained: “With automation, residents simply touch a button on their phones to open their doors and gates, or to turn on the coffee-maker, or to switch on the lights, or get open/close the curtains.
“Residents will be able to view, lock or unlock their houses via their phones from wherever they may be, even if abroad.”
The FCT minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, described the estate as a magnificent project and that it signified a great leap in the housing sector in the FCT.
“The priority of the FCT administration is to develop a world-class national capital that every Nigerian and African will be proud of and the housing sub-sector is very crucial to fulfilling that mandate,” the minister stressed.
The smart estate sits on 4.35 hectares of prime land comprising 160 luxury homes consisting of five units of four-bedroom penthouses, 54 units of three-bedroom apartments, 52 units of four-bedroom terraced duplexes and 49 units of five-bedroom detached duplexes.
He said in a style unique to Cosgrove, the estate boasts of facilities that include Artificial Intelligence (A1) powered security cameras, Smart Access Management System, unmanned vehicle access powered by A1 enabled Automatic Number Plate Recognition ANPR.
“Why we stand out is our quality is unique, you have your housework for you, in terms of energy management, security, convenience, entertainment and other features that make life easier for residents. It is leveraging on technology to make your life safer and more convenient.
“So, these are what we will deploy in all our estates. We have panoramic cameras that can go as far as three kilometres to pick images. These are high-tech gadgets that are trending across the globe. So, our estates are going to be fully automated,” Abdullahi added.
He said Cosgrove has carried out research in more than 10 countries in order to improve on its housing delivery.
“The automation aspect is being handled by Cosgrove Technology, it is a sister company to Cosgrove Investment. Other developers that lack the capacity to do automation can come to us, we provide solutions because we are trying to make our country develop. A lot of real estates companies are signing contracts with us to provide this automation for them.
“Cosgrove is not only interested in financial returns but in performance as well, its estates will improve security indices and public safety as well as enhance traffic safety while also improving the social image of public safety agencies, and improvement in international image of Nigeria,” he added.
