Building code: Govt engages built environment professionals

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday met with built environment professionals on their expectations of the process towards kick starting the domestication of the National Building Code,

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako said that the sensitisation workshop for professional in the built environment and academia was in continuation of the ongoing process of engaging different sections of stakeholders for their contribution into birthing a collectively owned Lagos State Building Code for the benefit of all.

He said that this was coming after the meeting with the media for the same purpose, adding that it was part of the methodical approach to the code’s domestication in Lagos State.

“I am excited by the array of professionals gathered here today to work through the process of domesticating the National Building Code together with us”, he said.

Salako described the initiative as an avowal of the dynamic leadership exhibited by Mr. BabajideOlusolaSanwo-Olu administration in the last three years, especially in the physical planning sector, where he has not only invested heavily in providing adequate planning instruments, which includes Master and Model City Plans, but also devoted enough resources to bequeathing the right regime of regulations to vouchsafe the sanctity of the development plans and steer the state towards a 21st Century Economy as contained in the THEMES Agenda.

He added that the move to domesticate the National Building Code was in zinc with the clamour in professional circles for its adoption in regulating Lagos’ built environment, just as it represented another bold step to consummate existing regulations by embracing relevant aspects of the code to strengthen the performance-based standards for building in the State.

“Without doubt, the successful domestication of the National Building Code and the evolution of the Lagos State Building Code will go down in the annals as first by any state of the federation, while helping to depart from the usual recourse to standards from other polities such as the British and American standards”, he said.

The commissioner urged all participants to devout energy, time and professional expertise into evolving a credible, well-adapted codes for Lagos State which deserves nothing less than excellence.

Special Adviser Works and Infrastructure, MrsAramideAdeyoye, an engineer, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary Office of Works, Mr Adebayo Odusanya, urged professionals to appreciate the essence of adopting the code by putting it into use once it became operational.

The Chairman, Lagos State Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Mr David Majekodunmi, stated that the exercise was all about building regulations which professionals must adopt in the four stages of construction that is pre- design, design, construction and post- construction.

Consultant, Nigerian Energy Support Programme, Mrs Esther Okougha, said that the domestication of the building code would integrate the Building Energy Efficiency Code to make a complete document.

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