Institute conducts survey on buildings older than 60 years

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

According to a statement issued by the institute noted that the survey is aimed at drawing attention of the society to the periodic need of building survey to preserve housing and building stock and as a part of NIOB’s corporate social responsibility, (CSR) to the country.

Commenting on a recent survey of some buildings on Lagos Island, the NIOB’s President, Kunle Awobodu, said there was a need to compare buildings whose lifespan had exceeded the theoretical 60 years’ lifespan of buildings and yet were stable and functional.

The exercise, according to the institute will also ascertain why such buildings are still standing whereas some recent post-independence buildings have given way.

Awobodu  stated that the materials and construction processes were things that were got right in those heritage buildings.

The NIOB engaged in the survey in Lagos State and other states of the federation to commemorate the 60 years’ anniversary of Nigeria’s independence and the building surveys in Lagos State were carried out by NIOB teams led by the Chairman of the NIOB Lagos State Chapter, Sunday Wusu.

The buildings surveyed included the first two-storey building in Nigeria, a church building in Badagry built in 1845.

On the Independence Day, builders led by Awobodu surveyed Shitta-Bey Mosque built in 1892 and the Da Rocha Building constructed in 1874, both located on Lagos Island.

The statement said that the Lagos State Building Control Agency and the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory were also present and expressed their readiness to collaborate with professionals to rid the state of squalid and unsafe buildings.

The NIOB president stressed the need for the development of locally available building materials for the growth of the building industry.

He added the vulnerability of the industry became obvious during the lockdown when some building components could not be imported.