By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The developer and planner of the famous Eko Atlantic City in Lagos State, South Energyx Nigeria Limited, has said the city would be environmentally friendly.
According to him, this would be achieved by planting more than 200,000 trees of different varieties and sizes across the city, while the area would boast of energy-efficient building materials where possible as well as well-planned roads and infrastructure.
“Alongside our commitment to planting trees, developers in the city are currently looking to implement solar power for their buildings which will increase the use of renewable energy in the city.
“We are also constantly looking out for the latest technologies and techniques to further improve energy and resource efficiency within the city.
“Some of these include smart buildings, efficient energy storage, and smart monitoring. We believe that we will achieve greater levels of energy efficiency as the city continues to develop,” the Vice Chairman of Eko Atlantic, Mrs Ronald Chagoury Jr, said in commemoration of the 2021 Earth Day.
In a statement, South Energyx Nigeria at least 30 varieties of trees and plants are grown in the company’s 45,000 sqm nursery in Eko Akete, which are then transplanted to Eko Atlantic City once they are ready.
The firm assured that all roads in the city are lined with trees and shrubs, providing cleaner air and improving environmental quality.
The streets are also lined with LED streetlights which consume considerably less energy than regular sodium lamps. This way, the city’s developers balance both the need for quality infrastructure and environmental preservation, it further said.
Recall that in January 2020, Alpha1, the first office tower in the city, became the first building to be EDGE-certified by the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group.
EDGE stands for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency. It is issued to developers and buildings that have identified the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy use, water use and embodied energy in materials. Research shows that green buildings use up to 30 per cent less energy than conventional buildings.
In line with this green commitment, the roads in Eko Atlantic City are built with concrete blocks instead of asphalt. Because of their light colour, the concrete blocks absorb less heat from the sun when compared to asphalt. This lowers the overall core temperature of the city.
Eko Atlantic City also has roundabouts instead of four-way intersections. Studies show that roundabouts ensure safer and more efficient traffic flow.
Also vital to traffic management is the city’s prohibition of street parking by providing basement parking for several developments. This ultimately reduces the number of cars on the road and minimises carbon emission from idle vehicles in traffic.
Upon completion, Eko Atlantic City will be home to approximately 300,000 residents and 250,000 commuters, who will also enjoy environmentally-friendly means of transportation as the technology continues to develop.
With its Green City Commitment, Eko Atlantic sets the environmental standard for new emerging cities worldwide and contributes to a cleaner, healthier, and more environmentally friendly Lagos.
