The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) has called on the Lagos State Government to leverage technology to monitor building performance and prevent structural failures.
This recommendation was made by the BCPG Ikeja Cell Coordinator, Mr. Gbolahan Oyelakin, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
Oyelakin emphasized that the use of technology would allow the government to proactively identify potential risks in buildings before they become serious issues.
“We need to deploy technology in monitoring the performance of buildings to avoid 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 said.
Building life cycle assessments
He explained that life cycle assessments could help detect when substandard materials are used in construction, enabling authorities to intervene early.
“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,” he added.
- Oyelakin praised the efforts of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in enhancing building safety, citing their recent decision to demolish 15 unsafe buildings in Iponri.
- He also acknowledged the agency’s proactive engagement with residents of these buildings to discuss the necessary steps.
Data management
In addition to advocating for technology-driven solutions, Oyelakin stressed the importance of effective data management in preventing building collapses.
He noted that analyzing data could help authorities better understand how human behaviour and cost-cutting decisions during economic downturns can impact construction quality.
“Data can reveal critical insights into how people make cost-driven decisions during building projects. Understanding these patterns can help in preventing future collapses,” Oyelakin explained.
- Oyelakin also highlighted the need for stricter enforcement of insurance policies within the construction industry.
- He expressed concern that many builders have insurance policies only on paper, without complying with their terms and conditions.
“Insurance policies are vital, but compliance is often neglected. Government needs to ensure strict adherence to these policies, with effective monitoring and control mechanisms in place,” he said.
He called for increased accountability and proactive measures to prevent building collapses, urging the Lagos State Government to take more significant steps in enforcing safety regulations and using technology to safeguard lives and properties across the state.
What you should know
- Incessant building collapse in Lagos has continued to raise concerns among professionals in the construction industry.
- According to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Lagos has seen at least 90 buildings falling down in the last 12 years, leaving more than 350 people dead.
- The most recent building collapse in Lagos was recorded about two weeks ago when a two-storey building collapsed on Amusu Street, in the Orile Iganmu area of the State.
