Education

18 Central Varsity Architectural students to participate in EDGE

Eighteen Architectural students from the Central University are to participate in the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) competition which was launched in Accra on Thursday.

Geared towards empowering architecture students to design buildings that are green friendly and resource efficient, the competition would also offer participants the opportunity to explore the use of new materials and strategies for building.

Per the rules of the competition, participants are expected to design a cutting edge single family home for a young family living in the outskirts of Accra, using local materials and should fit on a standard plot size of 70×100 feet.

Acting Country Manager for International Finance Cooperation(IFC),  Fatma Wane, speaking at the event said the competition sought to support and enhance the study of sustainable and energy efficient building practice in architectural education.

“The completion would also allow students the opportunity to use new materials and strategies for building and integrating technology and beauty for high-performing, cutting edge architecture,” she added.

A group photo of participants

She said using the EDGE software; participants are expected to develop at least one innovation in design and construction with minimum savings of 20 per cent in energy, water and other materials

The EDGE software is an online platform, a green building standard and a certification system which helps to determine the most cost-effective options for designing green within a local climate context.

Mr Richard Dadey, President of the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) encouraged the students to take the competition seriously, “pay attention to the environment and adopt practical ways to reduce energy consumption,” he added.

“Through the buildings you will bring, we will be able to save and preserve the environment,” he noted.

The Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ebenezer Appah-Sampong, said the agency would support organisations that aim to preserve and save the environment.

He stated that the competition would lay the groundwork for future architects to design environmentally friendly buildings.

Mr Sampong congratulated the students for volunteering for the competition and pledged to support EDGE in making all buildings in Ghana including the EPA office greener.

Abodunrim Olufemi, a level 400 student speaking with the Ghanaian Times said he was optimistic that he would win the competition, however noting that he and his colleagues would try their best to make the most environmental friendly and green building.

BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY

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