UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | Ruth Nankabirwa, the Energy Minister, has tasked the Ministry of Works and Transport to supervise the construction of all buildings in newly created cities to ensure they meet safety and environmental standards.
The minister made her call during the handover of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) house in Kampala. The minister also praised the managers of ROKO, a construction firm, for finishing the project, which is estimated to cost 26.7 billion Ugandan shillings.
“The Ministry of Works should help us regulate all the buildings coming up in the new cities. The new ERA House will showcase what is smart. I do not know whether we have such buildings in Uganda,” Ruth Nankabirwa said.
The Ministry of Works and Transport oversaw the project’s construction, which lasted 27 months. According to Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, the completion of the new building shows the ministry of works and transport’s ability to ensure that construction companies adhere to environmental standards.
According to the Energy Minister, the building has created a “paradigm shift” in the construction of government projects. She said that the multibillion-dollar structure is self-sustaining, uses less water and electricity, and relies on the natural environment for aeration and lighting.
Ms Zilia Tibalwa Waako, Chief Executive Officer of ERA, stated the building design costs an estimate of 34.4 billion Ugandan Shillings; however, the actual construction cost was 26.7 billion Ugandan Shillings, saving about 7.6 billion Ugandan Shillings.
The minister also commended ERA officials for declaring the project’s unspent balances as she stated, “We have never heard in Uganda that a project is completed and the balance of the money is declared. In some projects they ask for more money, in others they will not declare what remained and you wonder how exact they were with their expenditure.”
Ms Zilia Tibalwa Waako emphasised that the structure has a building management system and elaborated that, “This is a smart-green building which monitors all key systems, including the lift, access control, energy usage and light management. We have a gym and breastfeeding area. The building has two standby solar power systems. We have provision for bicycle parking racks.”
She also said that unlike the previous building, which housed only 25 staff members, the new ERA House will accommodate 120 staff members and hopes to cut energy bills by more than half of the 5 million Ugandan shillings they pay each month.
Because they have an in-house kitchen, it will also reduce catering costs, according to the ERA Chief Executive Officer.
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