Nairobi, Kenya, 14 August 2018: Kenya’s second National Construction Week, scheduled to take place from November 7 to 9, 2018, at Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, is set to enhance the contribution of the construction industry towards the Big Four Agenda, the organisers said in a Press communiqué.

Organised by the National Construction Authority (NCA), the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, and dmg events, the event will support the Kenyan government’s ambition to enrich the local economy, the communiqué said. The week will incorporate the International Construction Research Conference and Exhibition (ICoRCE) official conference, organised by NCA, and The Big 5 Construct East Africa 2018, official exhibition of the week, organised by dmg events, the communiqué further said.

Charles Hinga Mwaura, Principal Secretary, State Department of Housing and Urban Development branch of Kenya’s Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, provided insight towards the government targets: “The government’s focus right now is uplifting the economic status of all Kenyans, and we are doing so by first providing affordable housing for all. In order to do so, we must incorporate technology and provide innovative solutions in order to save on cost but maximise on quality of buildings. This is the reason why events such as the National Construction Week are critical, as we must create platforms to continuously engage and seek creative solutions to our affordable housing gaps.”

The Big 5 Construct East Africa 2018 will bring over 200 exhibitors from more than 20 countries, including Qatar, Germany, Turkey, France, Italy, China and Greece, to support the affordable housing agenda in Kenya, the communiqué said.

Muhammed Kazi, Portfolio Director, said: “We are delighted to once again be the official exhibition at Kenya’s National Construction Week and to bring to the local market products designed to ensure both efficiency and quality in the built-environment. The event will cater for everyone in the construction industry including contractors, engineers, architects and more. Furthermore, it serves as a platform for local Kenyan distributors from the building and construction industry to meet international brands and discuss partnerships and distributorship, which eventually benefits the local economy.”

The offer of CPD (continuing professional development) workshops at the Big 5 Construct East Africa 2018 is expected to be more than double that of 2016, the communiqué said. More than 40 sessions will focus on Technology and Design in Building Construction, Project Management and Engineering, Sustainability in Construction and a new feature – Women in Construction, the communiqué further said.

Maurice Akech, Ag. Executive Director, National Construction Authority, announced the theme of this year’s conference. “This year, we are exploring how we can build a strong legal framework that will harness the potential of the construction industry for inclusive and sustainable growth,” he said. Looking forward to the event, he added, “We are excited to provide an international platform for collation and dissemination of research information, a platform to showcase innovations and to facilitate business to business meetings amongst local, international participants and exhibitors.”

The communiqué said the National Construction Week also enjoys the support of the Engineers Board of Kenya, the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Green Building Society, Kenya Property Developers Association and many more organisations.