Dry construction is the solution to mass housing – Nigerite boss

‘With Nigeria’s capital expenditure profile put at 24 per cent of recurrent expenditure in 20 14, falling price of crude oil and a high cost of funds for execution of capital projects, the construction industry in Nigeria is obviously under pressure to evolve more time and cost efficient system of construction.”

This was the submission of the Managing Director of Nigerite Limited, Mr. Frank LeBris last week at an interactive session with journalists to unfold plans towards official launch of an innovative building solution known as Kalsi performance cement boards solution or dry construction system into Nigerian market.

The new construction technology being promoted by the Lagos-based company that specialises in the manufacturing of roofing, ceiling and flooring products is the latest addition to its range of building solutions. Kalsi boards which are manufactured from cement, quartz sand, cellulose, natural calcium and water, are processed by autoclave (drying process under high pressure and temperature) for durability and dimensional stability. The boards which come in various sizes and thicknesses between 6mm and 20mm, are manufactured under strict quality control and international standards.

Describing the dry construction system as a modern building system which tends to translate the building process into an industrial process, Mr. Le Bris said the system is more versatile and faster construction method that allows up to 70 per cent construction time saving possible when compared with the traditional wet construction using bricks and blocks. He added that whatever the design idea the Architect can conceive, Kalsi boards can achieve, pointing out that various reference building projects using the boards now abound in the country.

According to him, “This system, unlike the traditional brick and block method requires minimum use of water. The system generates minimum construction waste and Kalsi buildings have much better preserve room temperature and they are energy efficient. The use of timber associated with the traditional construction is avoided with dry construction, and the system impacts positively on reducing deforestation.

“Lower dry construction load impacts on minimum excavation, less soil disturbance. The system compliments better the green building idea for modern construction world over. In additional, the system is a lightweight construction. It is about 10 times less in weight compared to equivalent blocks and mortar construction, resulting to savings in foundation and structural costs.

Dry construction using Kalsi board for eave solution has also proved to be a much viable solution with lower self-weight, faster and better technical finishes. Kalsi building boards have a high fire resistance rating and good acoustic and thermal properties. It is also a moisture and pest resistance solution”, the Nigerite boss stated.

Explaining that skill-gap is a major challenge for dry construction, Le Bris noted that Nigerite which has been operating in Nigeria for 55 years, is in partnership with other stakeholders with skills in dry construction technology to put in motion machinery for skill acquisition with regular trainings to ensure the technology is domicile with the Nigerian populace, adding that customers’ perception is another challenge to address, while efforts are in top gear towards continuous education about the modern system of building.

According to him, with the demand for housing in Nigeria growing at a geometric rate while housing provision is at arithmetic rate, there is obvious need to evolve a more practical method of achieving mass housing development in the country.

He said dry construction using Kalsi boards presents an excellent opportunity to government at all levels and the primary mortgage institutions to guarantee speedy provision of mass housing housing in Nigeria.

Le Bris maintained that in the process of his company’s continuous consistent devotion to quality and innovation, the organisation has in the last two years been working on the development of an entirely novel and friendly solution in the building industry called dry construction system which Nigerite is now ready to show-case to the building professionals and contractors as a viable alternative to the traditional wet construction method with blocks and bricks and concrete.

“Dry construction has been domiciled within Etex Group in other countries across the world for over 50 years. Nigerite is thus leveraging on the experience of her 120 sister companies of the group to offer dry solutions to the Nigerian construction industry for application for both internal and external ceiling solutions, partitions and wall solutions, over-cladding on existing masonry wall, facades applications, suspended floors and the integrated building solution which implies a complete building system.”

“In the light of the unique features of Kalsi boards as mentioned above, Nigerite has therefore put all measures from raw materials, machinery, factory, personnel and training in place to fully introduce this unique avant-garde building solution to the Nigerian market in the second quarter of 2015.

This news featured originally on Vanguard news