The TCC International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship (TCC-CIMET), in collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), has convened DAAD alumni and stakeholders across the construction value chain to explore digital innovation and circular construction approaches for more resilient and sustainable communities in Africa.
The two-day DiCCRA Workshop, themed “Digital Pathways for Circular Construction: Alumni-Led Solutions for Resilient Communities in Africa,” is funded by DAAD with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
It brings together participants from academia, industry and local government, as well as planners, architects, quantity surveyors, students and other professionals within the construction ecosystem.
Welcoming delegates and partners on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. David Asamoah, said the workshop reflects KNUST’s commitment to generating knowledge that responds to society’s practical needs.
He said Africa’s rapid urbanisation continues to place pressure on infrastructure, resources and institutions, making discussions about sustainable construction increasingly important.
“The questions this gathering poses, how we build, what we build with, and who benefits from that construction, are among the most consequential facing our continent today,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Director of the DAAD Regional Office in Accra, Mr Felix Barnes highlighted the importance of sustaining the knowledge, networks and expertise developed through academic exchange.
He said the workshop provides an opportunity for DAAD alumni from Ghana, other parts of Africa and Germany to collaborate on sustainable, resilient and inclusive approaches to construction.
“The strength of the DAAD network lies in exactly this kind of cross-regional, interdisciplinary collaboration, connecting professionals and researchers who might otherwise never share a table,” he said.
Convener of the workshop and Director of Business Development and Sustainability at TCC-CIMET, Prof. Alexander Boakye Marful, said the initiative provides an opportunity to advance a broader shift towards more sustainable practices in the construction sector.
“The DiCCRA Workshop is founded on a simple but urgent conviction: that Africa’s rapid urbanisation and infrastructure demands can only be met sustainably if we bring digital innovation and circular construction thinking directly into the hands of the people building our cities,” he said.
Prof. Marful said the construction sector, despite being resource-intensive and generating significant waste, presents opportunities for innovation through approaches such as Building Information Modelling, material passports, lifecycle assessment and the reintegration of natural and locally available materials into modern construction.
The workshop featured keynote addresses by Prof. Moritz Dörstelmann and Prof. Emmanuel Appiah-Kubi on digital innovation and circular construction from an African perspective.
It also included thematic presentations and a panel discussion, providing participants with opportunities to exchange experiences and examine practical pathways for applying digital technologies and circular construction principles within African contexts.
The workshop seeks to strengthen collaboration among DAAD alumni, academia, industry, government and other actors across the construction value chain, while supporting the development of practical approaches to more sustainable and resilient construction in Africa.
Story: Eunice Ofori
