NREH correspondent was in an interview with Professor Charles Nyangete. He is the former MD of Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company(NMRC).
In this interview, they discussed the advantages of green housing in Nigeria and some frequently asked questions by interested consumers.
Please read below.
NREH – What are the advantages of green housing in Nigeria?
Prof Nyangete: Greenhouse is very useful for the way the climate is changing. What it does essentially is to help you reduce the running cost of your house by using green equipment in the house. That means you should have something like a solar panel that helps you reduce the cost of electricity, energy-saving bulbs, energy-saving air conditioners even down to things like kettles; virtually all your electronic appliances. The building itself should be green certified.
That means when developers go to site, they don’t go there and cut down all the trees. The site management designs the building in such a way that it uses nature very well, allows free airflow and cross ventilation and also make sure the sun doesn’t hit through the walls. All the orientation and the technical parts have to be right but most importantly, when the buildings are being constructed, even the location should be considered in such a way that it is not susceptible to climate issue.
NREH: Don’t you think all the cost implication at the end of the day will be pushed to off-takers? How can they manage it in such a situation?
Prof Nyangete: A lot of work has gone into establishing that the cost of having a green building is much lower. The savings are much lower, the quality of the building lasts longer and also the impact on the environment is much less. So bringing green technology into the building is very useful. It also protects our environment and makes it more sustainable.
NREH: For interested developers, are there partnerships, subsidies or ways they can achieve this objective?
Prof Nyangete: It is actually in the best interest of developers. Firstly, if your building is well certified, you will get financiers who are interested in partnering with you; both domestic and international financiers. If you are a developer and you have relationships with suppliers of green technology equipment, you can also get their support and have them supply you at better prices. So it’s a win-win for everyone.