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Leverage tech for building safety, experts urge Lagos

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has urged the Lagos State Government to use technology to monitor building performance and avoid structural failures.

This was revealed by the BCPG Ikeja Cell Coordinator, Gbolahan Oyelakin, in an interview with the News on Sunday, NAN reports.

Oyelakin emphasized that implementing technology would allow the government to identify potential risks in buildings before they become serious problems.

"We need to use technology to monitor building performance rather than waiting for incidents to occur before responding.

"Technology can track the life cycle of a building, alerting us when materials are about to fail, which is key to preventing collapses," he told me.

He explained that life cycle assessments could help identify the use of substandard materials in construction, allowing authorities to intervene early on.

"For example, if a material is supposed to last 10 years but a compromised material is used, technology can predict how long that building will stand," the engineer stated.

Oyelakin praised the Lagos State Building Control Agency for its efforts to improve building safety, citing their recent decision to demolish 15 unsafe structures in Iponri.

He also acknowledged the agency's proactive engagement with residents of these buildings to discuss the necessary next steps.

In addition, Oyelakin stressed the importance of effective data management in preventing building collapses.

He emphasized that data analysis could provide authorities with insights into how human behavior and cost-cutting measures affect construction quality during economic downturns.

"Data can provide valuable insights into how people make cost-conscious decisions during construction projects. "Understanding these patterns can help prevent future collapses," Oyelakin said.

Oyelakin also emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of insurance policies in the construction industry.

He expressed concern that many builders have insurance policies on paper but fail to follow their terms and conditions.

"Insurance policies are important, but compliance is frequently overlooked. The government must ensure strict adherence to these policies, with effective monitoring and control mechanisms in place," he stated.

The ongoing issue of building collapses in Lagos has sparked widespread concern among construction industry professionals.

According to Nigeria's Council for the Regulation of Engineering, the city has had at least 90 building collapses in the last 12 years, killing over 350 people.

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