FUTA, Brazilian Varsity Partner On Building Materials

Worried by high cost of building material in Nigeria, Federal University of Technology Akure (FCITA) and University of Sao Paul Brazil, is partnering on how to convert agro products into construction materials.

 Professor Holmer Savastano of University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, disclosed this in Akure recently while delivering a lecture on “Non conventional building materials based on agricultural and industrial residues, a contribution for sustainable housing and infrastructure.

 According to him, FUTA is one of two universities participating in the pro-Africa project 2009 to 2010 in Nigeria.

 He stated how agricultural products such as cassava fibre, banana, coconut and other recycled materials could be processed and used for production of housing materials like roofing sheets, celling boards, floor tiles and other infrastructure.

 Also in a pictorial presentation by Dr. Babatunde Ajayi of Department of Forestry and Woods Technology, FUTA demonstrated steps of processing of raw food materials combined with saw dust and packets of sachet water in making of floor tiles.

 The Vice-Chancellor of FUTA Professor Adebisi Balogun thanked the guest lecturer for the visual tour of the University of Sao Paulo adding that the opportunity gave participants an insight into the universities several campus  activities.

 The vice-chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice-chancellor, (Development) Prof. Joseph Fadamino assured the guest lecturer of maximum cooperation that would yield optimal achievement of quality agricultural production for global development.

 In the same vein, he challenged professionals to be creative to produce sustainable housing and infrastructure worldwide.