Sustainable construction in Uganda - case study : construction of UNICEF-WFP common premises offices in Mbuya, Kampala

Abstract

This report documents a case study of sustainable construction in Uganda. This is the “Construction of UNICEF-WFP Common Premises Offices in Mbuya”. My role as the Quantity Surveyor at the initial stages of the project included costing of the bills of quantities and ensuring that the sustainability aspects of the building were executed according to the designs. The sustainability aspects of a building are usually taken care of at the design stage. As the contractor’s team however, our role was to ensure that the environmental and social aspects of the building were taken care of during the construction operations. It was ensured, for example, that the trees that were not in the way of the construction activities were retained; construction waste like dust was minimized and that the workers were working in a clean and safe environment. Additionally, toxic waste like asbestos was handled well and disposed off safely. The facility was constructed as an energy and resource efficient building. The design includes deployment of modern, efficient materials, technologies and applications, building services systems installation and methods of construction. The aim is to reduce emissions by designing the building to be as energy efficient as possible and therefore it was proposed to include the “greening” features including but not limited to solar power, insulation, natural ventilation, water recycling, rainwater harvesting and sewage treatment. On completion, the building will be certified under EDGE (Excellence in Design and Greater Efficiency).