IMPROVED AWARENESS OF ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTANTS TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT OF TELECOM - COMPATIBLE BUILDINGS

Abstract

The ability to interconnect and communicate wirelessly in and around the built environment with sufficient aptitude is becoming progressively important as the array of consumer-grade portable devices with broadband wireless functionality flourishes. These devices provide incredible functionality, much of which is dependent on broadband internet connectivity which, from a user perspective, is frequently sub-optimal. With almost a hundred percent of today’s communication and data consumption happening within the domain of wireless technology, it is surprising that for the built environment in Nigeria, codes/guidelines do not yet exist in the building industry to guide and enhance their deployment and use within our built environment. The knowledge to limit, or eliminate and enhance these wireless waves as needed through spatial and material manipulations is virtually non-existent amongst our built environment practitioners. Design solutions and developments are all of the time made without recourse to the proper placement of communication infrastructure, educated use of building materials and spatial organization. This paper provides a structural guideline or formwork for the creation of codes of practice and conduct with the purpose of optimizing wireless communication in our built environment. It concludes that for wireless systems, the learned ability to compensate for the dynamics of radio propagation within the built environment is crucial for achieving optimal performance.