The College of Engineering Design Art and Technology (CEDAT) is undertaking research and training in Cloud–Based Building Information Modelling, 3D-Printing, and modular construction technologies that can enhance the rate of delivery of affordable houses. A senior researcher Associate Prof. Stephen Mukiibi from the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning is the Principal Investigator of the project, ‘Innovation and Digitalisation Pathways for a more affordable housing in Sub-Saharan Africa’.
The innovation is aimed at addressing the ever-increasing demand for affordable housing in sub-Saharan Africa that is due to rapid urbanization, economic challenges, and high unemployment coupled with poverty and the negative effects of climate change. Despite such challenges, advancements in sustainable design methods, new materials, and innovative building materials offer potential solutions for the development of sustainable, innovative, and affordable housing. Through research and training, it is believed that the investigation of the impact of innovation and digitization on the increase of construction delivery can be undertaken. Training and associated costs, along with skepticism from industry professionals suggest that further research can be undertaken to investigate the impact of innovation and digitization on the increase of construction delivery.
The growing housing backlog in Uganda and Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole is attributed to low quality workmanship, sub-optimal construction methods, ineffective collaboration, poor coordination, and little communication which result in delays affecting the project delivery time. Other factors include energy wastage, problems with electrification, inefficient water use, high carbon footprints, and unsustainable practices in housing delivery and construction technologies. The project proposes a triangulation of activities to introduce civil engineering and built environment graduates to innovation and digital methods that enhance engineering capacity in sub-Saharan Africa by improving the knowledge, skills, and employability of engineering graduates.
The project is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) under Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEP SSA) and aims to build on the research and innovation capacity of higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa and stimulate ties with the industry sector to increase the scale of impact in affordable housing delivery, knowledge dissemination and skills development training on innovative methods of construction through Cloud-Based Building Information Modelling, 3D-Printing, and modular construction as well as Curriculum Development and fostering collaboration amongst partner academic institutions and the community.
