Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has reiterated its commitment to sustainable urban development, calling for the adoption of low-carbon construction practices and stronger collaboration among industry stakeholders to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to greener and more resilient cities.
The construction giant made the call during the Future Cities Summit 2026, organised by the Green Building Council Nigeria (GBCN) in Lagos under the theme, “Building the Future: Scaling Sustainability for Greener Cities.”
The summit brought together key players in the built environment to discuss innovative solutions for sustainable construction, urban resilience and environmentally responsible development.
Representing Julius Berger on the second and final day of the summit, the company’s Regional Manager, Engr. Thomas Christl, participated as a panellist during the plenary session titled, “Materials, Methods, and Margins: Low Carbon Construction Constraints and Opportunities.” Also representing the company was its Chief Risk Officer, Mrs. Shakira Mustapha.
The panel featured other industry experts, including the General Manager of Saint-Gobain Nigeria, Mr. Tope Ilusanmi, Sustainable Finance Consultant at Alitheia Capital, Miss Ruby Uche, while Sustainability and Green Building Consultant at Enflor, Ariyike Maama Adeshina, moderated the session.
Speaking during the discussion, Christl identified the high upfront cost of low-carbon construction as one of the major barriers to its widespread adoption. He, however, stressed that sustainable buildings offer substantial long-term economic and environmental benefits through lower maintenance costs, improved operational efficiency and reduced energy consumption.
He urged developers and investors to adopt a lifecycle approach when evaluating construction projects, noting that the long-term value of sustainable buildings far outweighs their initial investment costs.
Christl also identified recycled concrete as a practical and environmentally friendly solution capable of significantly reducing carbon emissions while limiting dependence on newly manufactured construction materials.
He called for stronger collaboration among universities, construction firms, material manufacturers and regulatory agencies to establish clear standards and policies that would encourage the adoption of recycled concrete in Nigeria.
According to him, greater collaboration across the industry will promote innovation, facilitate knowledge sharing and ensure that sustainable construction solutions are integrated into projects from the design stage.
The Julius Berger Regional Manager further observed that the industry’s challenge is not the availability of technical expertise but ensuring that research findings and emerging sustainable technologies are effectively communicated across the construction value chain.
He emphasised the need for designers, engineers, procurement professionals, contractors and project owners to remain informed about greener concrete alternatives and other emerging sustainable building technologies.
Participants at the summit agreed that stronger partnerships among government agencies, academia, financial institutions and private-sector organisations are essential to overcoming the financial, technical and regulatory challenges associated with low-carbon construction.
Julius Berger commended the Green Building Council Nigeria for providing a platform that encouraged constructive dialogue and knowledge sharing, reaffirming its commitment to supporting sustainable infrastructure development and promoting greener cities across Nigeria.
