Obaseki’s reforms: New Benin Science and Technical College buildings are energy-efficient

… to harvest rainwater for use

 

Team Lead, Government Science and Technical College (formerly Benin Technical College), Rehabilitation Programme, Arch. Giles Omezi, has said that the phase 1of the project, which consists of two new buildings, has been designed to be energy efficient as it has the capacity to harvest and use rainwater and operate with alternative off-grid solar energy, among other innovations.

Omezi, who noted that students have resumed academic exercise at the college in the wake of the handing over of the first phase of the project to the state government, said a strong sustainability strategy underpins the new development at the college.

According to him, the phase one of the project, comprising two new state-of-the-art classroom blocks, have been handed over to the government.

He explained that a production cluster comprising maker spaces accessible to local tradesmen will soon be operational, which would make the facility a hub for job creation and skills development in the state.

He noted that the next Phase of the project, which is in progress, involves the refurbishment of the nine existing steel frame buildings built in 1973.

“We have solar panels for solar energy. We are harvesting rainwater as well. This is a test case of how sustainable our public buildings can be. We are going to be doing the same thing in the new phase. The institution will be fully networked with a sitewide fibre optic system, backup power from generators, off-grid renewable energy (solar power), rainwater harvesting and an integrated sitewide potable water system.”

Omezi explained that the facility will run on a Reuse, Repurpose and Refurbish approach to maximise current assets on the site, adding, “Old capital equipment that have been out of action for decades have been brought back to life, components with operational life in them are being reused and a sensitive attitude to refurbishing the old buildings means that we are utilising less new components and saving money.”

He added that key infrastructure interventions in the project include a dedicated 33kv line from the Benin North electrical substation which draws power from the NIPP Ihonvbor/Azura Power complex and a 45mbps fibre optic cable serving the college.

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