Sunyani Technical University (STU) has held its first-ever Professorial Inaugural Lecture, marking a significant milestone in the University's academic history. The event featured the University's Vice-Chancellor, Ing. Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, who is the first full professor of the institution. This achievement not only highlights Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah's personal accomplishment but also reinforces STU's commitment to research excellence and national development.
During the lecture, Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah advocated for a shift from conventional building practices to circular construction, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches to transform waste into valuable building materials. He stressed that adopting circular construction practices could significantly reduce the environmental impact of construction activities, lower building costs, and conserve natural resources in Ghana.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah noted that Ghana's construction industry is heavily dependent on virgin materials, such as sand, cement, and natural aggregates, which puts pressure on the environment. He cited that about 90 per cent of Ghanaian building walls are constructed with sandcrete blocks, contributing to excessive sand extraction and natural resource depletion. The country's annual consumption of over six million tonnes of cement and 120,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement further highlights the industry's substantial material demands.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that the global construction industry accounts for over 34 per cent of solid waste generation, 35 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, and 42 per cent of final energy consumption. He argued that a departure from the traditional linear construction model is necessary, advocating for a circular approach that prioritizes designing, building, maintaining, and recycling materials to minimize waste and preserve resources.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah drew on over two decades of research to demonstrate how locally available waste materials can be transformed into useful construction resources. His research has produced over 50 publications in high-impact international journals and conference proceedings, driven by an interest in resource efficiency and environmental preservation. One notable contribution includes the development of Salancrete blocks, which achieved a higher compressive strength and lower production cost compared to conventional sandcrete blocks.
The Professorial Inaugural Lecture also highlighted the importance of translating complex academic research into accessible information for non-specialists and the general public. The Registrar of STU, Mr Stephen Yeboah, noted that such engagements enable universities to demonstrate the practical relevance of their research while contributing innovative ideas and solutions to national development.
The event, presided over by Prof. Ben Quarshie Honyenuga, Vice-Chancellor of Ho Technical University, attracted people from all walks of life. Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah concluded his lecture by emphasizing that building better requires using fewer virgin materials, prioritizing locally available and recycled resources, and designing durable structures to protect the environment and conserve resources for future generations.
Key points
- Ing. Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah calls for a shift towards circular construction practices in Ghana's construction industry to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability.
