NIOB conducts building survey, research on building materials

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has started its survey of pre-independence buildings, some of which are heritage buildings in various parts of the country.

According to a statement by the president of the institute, Kunle Awobodu, the building survey was initiated by NIOB as part of its corporate social responsibility to the country and to draw the attention of the society to the necessity of periodic building surveys to preserve housing and building stock.

Awobodu, who in the statement, said he led the survey on  the Da Rocha Building (Water House)  in the ‘Brazillian Quarters’ of  Lagos Island built in 1874,  added that the motivation for the survey was the need to compare buildings whose lifespans have exceeded the theoretical 60 years and yet are sound, stable and functional.

“The exercise is further to probe why such buildings are still standing whereas some recent post-independence buildings have given way,” he said.

Awobodu further said preliminary findings showed that the quality of materials and the construction processes followed were right in those heritage buildings.

“To commemorate the 60 years anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, the NIOB engaged in the survey in Lagos State and other states of the federation. The building surveys in Lagos State were done by NIOB teams led by the chairman of the NIOB Lagos State chapter, Bldr. Sunday Wusu.

“The buildings surveyed included the first two-storey building in Nigeria which was a church building in Badagry, built in 1845,” he added.

He also said NIOB surveyed the Shitta-Bey Mosque built in 1892 located on Lagos Island.

Awobodu said the General Manager of Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory, Dr. Abiodun Afolabi, who was also part of the survey team, led his staff on the scientific testing of some components of the surveyed buildings, while the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Engr Abiola Kosegbe, led her staff in supporting the exercise.

“The outcome of the exercise will be useful to various stakeholders, including the government. The two Lagos State agencies expressed readiness to collaborate with professionals to rid the state of squalid and unsafe buildings,” he further said.

The NIOB president harped on the need for development of local building materials for the growth of the building industry, explaining that the vulnerability of the industry became apparent during the lockdown when some building components could not be imported.

“This development is a challenge that has been taken up by the NIOB which informs the theme of the NIOB 50th Builders Conference and Annual General Meeting holding virtually on October 7th and 8th, 2020.

“The conference theme, ‘Building Materials: Research, Creativity and Development’, has subthemes that will be handled by top ranking practitioners and researchers. The conference has the potential of resetting Nigeria’s developmental history for the better,” he said.