By Bisola Adeyemo
Nigerian architects have been advised to adopt “green architecture” as a way of seeking solutions to curtail climate change in Nigeria.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, on Thursday, made the call during while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)at the opening of a two-day 2021 symposium and business forum of the Association of Consulting Architects Nigeria (ACAN) in Lagos with the theme “A New Order”.
The minister described green architecture as an evolving method of minimizing the negative effects built structures have on their environment.
“Climate change indeed appears to have a chicken-and-egg relationship with the field of architecture.
“Despite the fact that architecture contributes to climate change, it is also impacted by it. In this regard, building construction is a major culprit,” he said.
Adegbite noted that climate change’s repercussions and effects are already evident in our lives, with the earth becoming warmer each passing year.
The impact of climate change in Nigeria is becoming more visible by the day, as drought, floods, erosion and desertification are worsening as a result of the global phenomenon.
The minister decried that the Nigerian economy had also not been spared, with the agricultural sector being the most affected, leading to reduced productivity.
“A 2018 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that global warming could hit the dreaded 1.5°C threshold as early as 2030.
“The consequence of such a milestone would be very grave for our planet, engendering more extreme weather and temperatures around the world with the attendant devastation.
“For those of us involved in the design of buildings and cities, there is a deep responsibility to be aware of this impact,” he said.
In his address, Mr. Ayoola Onajide, President, Architects Climate Action Network(ACAN) said there was a new order, adding that the symposium was organized to explain the ramifications of the new world we found ourselves in.
“The association strives to build competency and raise the quality of our service offerings. We also strive to protect the society from quacks and undesirable unregistered and unqualified architects and firms,” he said.
ACAN is the professional body representing consultant architects in private practice in Nigeria.
