Accra-Ghana, Dec. 19, – The African Built Environment must be placed in a position to transition from the current brown construction techniques to green building technologies, Mr. Daniel Kontie, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Continental Engineering and Construction Network, has said.
He said the reality is that new trends are transforming the way the industry operates, from the design phase to the actual construction process.
He noted that, particularly at this time, the whole planet faces the eminent dangers of climate change by virtue of the old industrial actions and inactions that have brought us to this global climate emergency situation.
Mr. Kontie said these in his welcome address at the Africa Continental Engineering and Construction Network summit held in Accra, which was on the theme “Integrating Sustainable Built Environment Industry for Socio-Economic Transformation Through the Use of Digital Twin Technologies.”
He added that Africans have always argued that Africa’s contribution to the current climate change catastrophe is insignificant compared to the West.
However, what “we fail to appreciate is that the problem was significantly created by the West, but the solution lies in the hands of Africa, and this is another 21st century industrial revolution for Africa to take advantage of.”
Mrs. Carlien Bou-Chedid, the immediate Past President of the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO), speaking on the theme, said that the use of digital twin technology creates a virtual or digital replica of physical objects, processes, or systems to allow for real-time monitoring, analysis, and optimization.
She explained that by leveraging digital twin technology in the built environment, stakeholders can make more informed decisions, reduce costs, improve sustainability, and enhance overall performance throughout the lifecycle of structures and cities.
Mrs. Bou-Chedid gave examples of these digital twin technologies as Autodesk BIM 360, which is a cloud-based platform for construction management; Dassault Systemes CATIA; and a software suite by Dassault that supports product design and engineering.
She said it is often used in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry to create digital representations of buildings and infrastructure.
She also mentioned Cityzenith 5D Smart World, which supports urban planning, infrastructure management, and smart city initiatives. She added that the Esri Urban Observatory also provides tools for creating digital twins of cities.
Mrs. Bou-Chedid explained that Digital Twins rely on a network of sensors and devices strategically placed within the built environment to measure parameters such as temperature, humidity, energy usage, water flow, air quality, and more.
She mentioned that a sustainable built environment is one that protects people, places, and the natural environment. It also involves creating safe and welcoming spaces and designing for longevity, flexibility, recoverability, and reuse.
“Sustainable Built Environment also reduces building and urban infrastructure emissions for the long-term resilience of both people and the planet. It is critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling the climate crisis, she concluded.
Awards were presented to institutions, individuals, and corporate bodies that have distinguished themselves in the advancement of technology in the built environment.
