HOUSING Minister Collin Croal placed innovation at the centre stage of this year’s International Building Expo, noting that new technologies and processes are key to delivering climate‑resilient, affordable homeownership across Guyana.

Minister Croal highlighted several areas where innovation is already making an impact, climate‑smart materials, modular and prefabricated construction methods, elevated foundation designs, and advanced drainage systems during his address at this year’s expo launch.

“Countries like ours must remain open to new technologies, modern building solutions, and more efficient approaches to development. This includes stronger building standards, climate resilient designs, sustainable materials, and smarter urban planning,” he said.

He said these approaches reduce construction times, lower costs and improve durability, helping communities withstand flooding and other climate risks.

The four-day expo will showcase international and local innovators, bringing fresh ideas to the market from Japanese and UK suppliers of resilient materials to regional firms.

“As we build for the future, we must ask the difficult but necessary questions. How do we reduce costs while maintaining standards?  How do we create communities that are resilient to flooding and climate risks? How do we integrate sustainability into every phase of our development? Over these four days I am hopeful that we will get new and more innovative answers to these questions as construction methods evolve globally,” he said.

Minister Croal encouraged public‑private partnerships to pilot these technologies at scale, linking developers, financial institutions and insurers in coordinated projects.