Firm Plans Green Building Projects In PH

A United States-based firm, Messrs Comprehensive Design Services (CDS-USA), has unfolded plans to develop green building housing projects in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The project which is pioneered by the United States-based firm will be executed in partnership with Community Conservation and Development Initiative (CCDI), a Nigerian based organisation.

The Tide has reliably gathered that the project which is coming as a bioclimatic design, featuring natural ventilation, wide eaves shading from landscaping, energy from solar, wind and biogas, rain water harvesting and the use of locally available renewable material for construction among other elements; will also stand out as an affordable building for low income families.

It was also gathered that the pilot phase of the project which has started at Igbo-Etche, Port Harcourt will end in December 2013, and the project comprising four self-contained units of two rooms each with all the renewable energy technologies, will cost about N8 million on approximation.

The green building, The Tide has reliably gathered, will recycle waste and sewage with a bio-digester which will in turn produce biogas for cooking, and the prototype building will use 85 percent less energy than an ordinary building of its size.

It will also utilise lees water and recycle rainwater, as well as use environmentally friendly materials such as stabilised earth, instead of cement blocks.

The projects, it was gathered reflects a collaboration of Nigerian Diaspora-driven idea with local implementation expertise which will be designed to be climate responsive with cross ventilation and cool roofs.

Already, some experts have been mobilised in Port Harcourt, with Mr Omie Ben-Kalio as an electrical engineer and Mr Emeka Abulokwe, as mechanical engineer, both of whom are Port Harcourt based, who are to direct the engineering operations of CDS Nigeria, while Dr Louis Gyoh and Gloria Ene are architect and quantity surveyor, respectively.

Corlins Walter