Israeli firm partners with Architectural Association of Kenya to boost local building capacity

A global building and construction solutions provider has stepped up its local capacity building initiatives to facilitate the adoption of geosynthetic solutions in roads and related infrastructure development.

Israeli headquartered Admir Technologies, a leading global provider of geotechnical and civil engineering solutions based on geosynthetics, has commenced local building and construction professionals' training and related capacity building in conjunction with the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK).

Geo-synthetics are manufactured synthetic materials (i.e., made from polymers or hydrocarbon chains) that are used for a wide range of engineering applications. In infrastructure development, geo- synthetics, including geogrids and geotextiles, stabilize weak subgrade soils.

Speaking at the inaugural training workshop at a Nairobi hotel, Admir Technologies Chief Executive Officer Mr Meir Taito said the firm is investing more than Kshs 50million in the rollout of capacity building efforts geared at facilitating cost savings in the timely delivery of quality infrastructure projects.

The firm, he said, will undertake the capacity building efforts through its local subsidiary Admir Kenya with technical support from its continental office Admir Africa.

"At Admir Technologies, we provide quality geotechnical solutions using Geosynthetic products for various civil engineering applications. We are present in at least 6 African countries. By rolling out capacity building programs, we are actively sharing our more than 30years worth of technical expertisewith local engineers and related project management peers on using Geosynthetic products," Taito said.

He explained that using Geosynthetic solutions in engineering projects such as roads, airport runways, railway lines, seaports, dams and retaining walls, reservoirs and waste landfills, stabilizing slopes, drainage, and many other applications has been technically proven and cost-effective.

At the workshop, local Engineering professionals led by the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) First Vice President Engineer Grace Kagondu were taken through training sessions touching on the construction of road bases with geocells, Tarmac reinforcement and Embankments and Retaining Walls construction.

The delegates also heard first-hand accounts of the recent developments of the Hoima Road in Uganda and Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) reinforced road projects in Ghana.