CORBON Chairman Calls For Sustainable Resilient Communities Through Innovation And Collaboration

The Chairman of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Samson Ameh Opaluwah, has called for stronger collaboration among academia, government, and industry stakeholders to drive sustainable development and build resilient communities across Nigeria.

Speaking as the keynote speaker at the 3rd Environmental Design Conference (EDCON) organized by the Faculty of Environmental Design of **Ahmadu Bello University**, Opaluwah emphasized that the nation’s future depends on adopting innovative, integrated, and environmentally responsible approaches to planning, design, and construction.

The conference, held in Zaria from June 8 to 11, was themed *“Reimagining Sustainable Futures: Exploring Innovative and Integrated Designs for Eco-Friendly and Resilient Communities.”*

Addressing participants, Opaluwah noted that communities worldwide are grappling with challenges such as climate change, rapid urbanization, population growth, environmental degradation, infrastructure deficits, and socio-economic inequalities. He stressed that no single profession can adequately address these complex issues, underscoring the need for multidisciplinary collaboration.

According to him, sustainable development requires environmentally responsible, economically viable, socially inclusive, and technologically adaptive solutions capable of transforming Nigeria’s built environment.

The CORBON Chairman urged professionals in the environmental design and construction sectors to move beyond conventional construction practices and embrace green building principles, circular economy concepts, climate-responsive architecture, and resilient infrastructure systems capable of withstanding environmental shocks such as flooding, extreme heat, and erosion.

He challenged Nigerian universities, particularly the Faculty of Environmental Design at ABU, to intensify research and innovation in sustainable local building materials and resilient construction methodologies that can support affordable housing delivery and national development.

Opaluwah also advocated for the adoption of the Triple Helix Model, which promotes collaboration among academia, industry, and government as a framework for accelerating development. He observed that while government and industry often work together, academia’s contributions through research, innovation, and talent development remain underutilized in national policymaking.

Highlighting CORBON’s efforts to improve standards within the construction industry, Opaluwah outlined several initiatives undertaken by the council. These include the gazetting of operational and health and safety regulations for builders’ practice, continuous professional development programmes, strategic partnerships with regulatory and professional bodies, and international collaborations with organizations such as the *American Concrete Institute* and the Chartered Institute of Building.

He further disclosed that CORBON has introduced digital platforms, including the Builders Management Portal (BuMaP) and the i-reg Portal, to streamline professional registration processes and enhance public access to information about registered builders.

The keynote speaker also emphasized the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge, traditional building techniques, and locally sourced materials into modern construction practices. According to him, sustainable design in Nigeria should reflect local environmental, cultural, and economic realities rather than merely replicate foreign models.

Addressing students, Opaluwah encouraged them to embrace innovation, digital skills, ethical leadership, and lifelong learning, noting that the future workforce must be adaptable and capable of developing solutions to emerging environmental and developmental challenges.

He reiterated that sustainability is no longer optional but a necessity, urging policymakers, professionals, researchers, and development partners to work together in promoting energy efficiency, climate adaptation, environmental protection, affordable housing, effective waste management, and inclusive urban development.

Opaluwah commended the Faculty of Environmental Design, ABU Zaria, for organizing the conference and expressed confidence that the discussions and recommendations arising from the event would contribute significantly to sustainable development and the transformation of Nigeria’s built environment.

He concluded by calling on all stakeholders to continue fostering innovation, professionalism, and collaboration in pursuit of safe, inclusive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable communities across the country.