FG sets to deliver energy efficient houses

Nigeria’s Federal Government has concluded plans to embark on the massive construction of energy efficient housing across the country as part of the efforts to motivate ordinary Nigerian worker.

The energy efficient houses are such that would use less power consumption or minimum energy and provide maximum comfort as well as take into account the need and financial convenience of would be owners.

The Minister of State for Works, Power, and Housing II, Alhaji Suleiman Hassan Jara dropped this hint in Gombe when he visited his home during the Sallah break.

He said the concepts, which discussed at a recent workshop on housing would be delivered in every state and possibly, every local government area of the country

“We are talking about delivering houses that are adaptable, affordable, taking into consideration our culture and climate.

“We just did a workshop last week, and it’s saying we should do housing that is energy efficient.

“That means a house that will use less power consumption with better ventilation so that you needn’t have to use so many ACs, you don’t have to use so many bulbs, but minimum energy, maximum comfort,” he said.

The Minister further explained that government was considering a whole lot of things towards making the houses affordable without compromising quality.

“So, we are looking at a model, where the cost of the building will come less.

“We are also looking at what else constitutes the cost of the building; if it is the land, we will see how easy it will be to access land to make housing better for the people.

“Is it the structure? We will look at that one and also the person that is going to occupy that building and then build to his capacity without compromising quality,” he said.

He said the project would begin with the needed assessment of would-be-owners as they would be contributing to the construction of the buildings.

“So, we’ll first look at the needs of the persons we are building the houses for, know what they need and then build houses for them.

“Again, you are the one who will contribute to the fund, anyway. So, as you are contributing, we will ask for your need and then factor you into it before we deliver the project,” the Minister explained.

He said the government was being painstaking because it does not deliver houses that would not be occupied as there many houses out there that are not occupied because it is not their need and it is unaffordable.