By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA
Kumasi, Sept 16, GNA – Stakeholders across the construction value chain have gathered to explore digital innovation and circular construction approaches for more resilient and sustainable communities in Africa.
The Technology Consulting Center International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship (TCC-CIMET), of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), convened the workshop.
The two-day workshop organised under the theme: “Digital Pathways for Circular Construction: Alumni-Led Solutions for Resilient Communities in Africa,” was funded by DAAD with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
It brought together members of academia, industry, and local government, as well as planners, architects, quantity surveyors, students, and other professionals within the construction value chain.
Professor David Asamoah, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) welcoming delegates, identified the workshop as one, which reflected the KNUST’s commitment to generating knowledge that responded to society’s practical needs.
He said Africa’s rapid urbanisation continued to place pressure on infrastructure, resources, and institutions, making discussions about sustainable construction increasingly important.
“The questions this gathering pose, how we build, what we build with, and who benefits from that construction, are among the most consequential facing our continent today,” he said.
It was; therefore, important industry players showcased their expertise to address infrastructural deficits and related challenges.
Speaking on behalf of the Director of the DAAD Regional Office in Accra, Mr Felix Barnes highlighted the importance of sustaining the knowledge, networks and expertise developed through academic exchange.
He said the workshop provided an opportunity for DAAD alumni from Ghana, other parts of Africa and Germany to collaborate on sustainable, resilient, and inclusive approaches to construction.
“The strength of the DAAD network lies in exactly this kind of cross-regional, interdisciplinary collaboration, connecting professionals and researchers, who might otherwise never share a table,” he said.
Director of Business Development and Sustainability at TCC-CIMET, Prof. Alexander Boakye Marful, said the initiative provided an opportunity to advance a broader shift towards more sustainable practices in the construction sector.
According to him, the workshop was founded on a simple but urgent conviction: “that Africa’s rapid urbanisation and infrastructure demands can only be met sustainably if we bring digital innovation and circular construction thinking directly into the hands of the people building our cities.”
He said the construction sector, despite being resource-intensive and generating significant waste, presented opportunities for innovation through approaches such as building information modelling, material passports, lifecycle assessment, and the reintegration of natural and locally available materials into modern construction.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Florence Afriyie Mensah
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