Surveyors urged to prioritize sustainability in construction cost management

Dr. Anthony Arko-Adjei, President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS), has called on surveyors, particularly quantity surveyors, to prioritize sustainability in construction cost management.

He said that that approach was essential for delivering structures that are environmentally responsible, cost-efficient, and resilient.

Dr. Arko-Adjei, speaking at the closing ceremony of a three-day conference organized by the International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC) and the Africa Association of Quantity Surveyors (AAQS) in Accra, emphasized that sustainability in construction had transitioned from being an option to a necessity.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that all projects met current standards and effectively addressed future challenges.

The conference, organized by the GhIS, aimed to foster international collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing and innovation exchange, and enhance capacity building and development.

Held under the theme “Reimagining the Future of Cost Management: Sustainability and the Digital Frontier,” the event brought together both local and international professional quantity surveyors.

Dr. Arko-Adjei urged surveyors to embrace modern technology and innovation, encouraging them to make smart and cost-effective decisions that could help reduce carbon emissions in the country’s built environment.

“We have learned from this conference that even though we are surveyors, professionals, we should not lose the principle of quantity surveying or cost management. But while we are doing that we need to be thinking about how technology and sustainability are influencing the way we do our things.

“For that matter when we are doing our construction cost management and quantity, we need to be thinking about these two important– technological advancement and sustainability,” he said.

Dr. Arko-Adjei praised the conference’s impact, calling it a “successful one” that had influenced how local surveyors viewed their profession and its role in sustainability.

He remarked, “We have learned lessons from other countries on how they address various issues. The past three days have been eventful, shaping our thinking as surveyors, quantity surveyors, and professionals in general.”

While advising young surveyors to maintain professionalism in their work, Dr. Arko-Adjei emphasised the importance of collaboration and connectivity to enhance knowledge sharing.

He also stressed the need for the public to engage surveyors from the land acquisition stage through to project completion, ensuring proper planning and development.

Outlining the role of surveyors in national development, Dr. Arko-Adjei explained that their work encompassed all aspects related to land and landed property.

“Right from the beginning of acquiring land, right from building the ground, taking the cost of the project, monitoring how the construction work is being done, monitoring even after the construction, how the structures are behaving, whether they are behaving normally or not, are all the works of surveyors.

“Sometimes, when constructions are done and costs are made, you need also to check against the cost of the project as visa vie how much money was used, what we call the value-for-money audit. All these works are done by surveyors.

“So, we have an enormous range of professional qualities that makes the basis or the strength of any development in any country,” he stated.

Mr. Michael Frimpong, a member of the GhIS, praised the conference’s impact, particularly the technical discussions, stating that they equipped participants with essential knowledge and introduced them to new, technology-driven, efficient, and cost-effective tools in surveying.

Source: GNA

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