Sustainable Building in Nigeria; the Journey So Far

AN ASSIGNMENT

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING IN NIGERIA; THE JOURNEY SO FAR.

Submitted by:

FILANI ADETOKUNBO ADEYEMI ARC/04/3193

Course:

APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY [ARC 810]

The Department Of Architecture, Federal University of Technology, Akure

In Partial Fulfillment of M. Tech Degree in Architecture

Lecturer in Charge: Prof. Ogunsote

September, 2011

1 TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page i

Abstract i

Table of content ii

Chapter one

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background study 1-2

1.2 What is sustainable building 2

1.3 Aims and objectives of the sustainable building 3

1.4 Basic green practices 3-5

Chapter two

2.0 Green architecture and building construction in Nigeria 6-7

2.1 Appraisal of a typical sustainable architecture in the tropics 7-8

2.2 Factors affecting the popularity of the green building in Nigeria 8-9

Chapter three

3.0 The efforts of the Nigerian construction industry to embark on more

Sustainable physical development 10-12

4.0 Conclusion 13

2 ABSTRACT

This paper explains what sustainable buildings actually mean. It addresses issues that surround sustainability for buildings. Before there can be sustainability in buildings, there must be sustainability in the larger environment. It goes further to shed light on the Nigerian situation and the state of our environment, factors that likely affect the slow emergence of green buildings in Nigeria. Also explains some efforts that has been made towards achieving the much desired environmental friendliness, efficient energy conservation and the green goal in Nigeria .

3 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY

The issue of carbon (IV) oxide emission has become a general concern in recent times because of the fast rate of depletion of the ozone layer that has distributed adversely to our climate change causing environment hazards.

Green house effects and climate change has prompted environmentalists, production engineers, companies in all sectors of production and manufacturing to embark on processes and products that will reduce the emission of carbon(iv)oxide (O2) into the atmosphere.

This has taken a large trend in architecture around the developed countries of the world. The construction industry, according to an online report, is responsible for up to 50% of C02 emissions in the United Kingdom from construction and usage of buildings, more than 40% of electricity in the world is generated for the consumption of buildings and its users for domestic uses, lighting, space heating or cooling, etc.

The fact that buildings are responsible for light energy usage is not an exception in the case of Nigeria. Nigeria is a vast area and most of our energy is used up by buildings and services related to it.

This study will try to analyze how energy can be conserved in Nigerian buildings, designs and also help to increase the quality of the environment by reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

It will also take an in depth look in the attempts made so far on the Nigerian scene about the introduction of the green building and the factors mitigating against its general acceptance by developers especially in the private sector.

1.2. WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE BUILDING?

According to Wikipedia, a green building is a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout its life cycle from the design stage to its operational use, renovation and demolition. A sustainable building harnesses all the resources available and makes resourceful use of these in an environmentally friendly way which is, channeled towards

4 Economy: Good value for money

Utility: Functionality

Durability: Structural stability

End user comfortability

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

The main aims of the green building is energy conservation and efficiency. The philosophy of the green building is conservative in nature. In environmental science studies, it is meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs.

Green building development is therefore conservative and its objectives are as follows;

Energy conservation

Efficient use of natural resources e.g. water. sunlight, wind.

Improving occupant’s health standards.

Efficient waste disposal, renewal and management.

Reduction of environmental pollution and degradation.

Retrofitting the existing building making them green.

1.4 BASIC GREEN PRACTICES:

To achieve the ultimate green building regardless of your location, there are basic steps to be considered.

Design efficiency: Construction concept affects cost of erection and operational performance. Buildings should be designed with adequate, cost effective, and feasible sustainable considerations.

Energy Efficiency: Most buildings are rated because of their attempts through design to minimize energy consumption. This starts from construction to usage stage. High performance buildings use low energy for day to day activities (operations). Energy efficiency is achieved majorly by use of materials. Construction, finishing and

5 services should have high performance materials that save energy instead of wasting them. Placement of external features of the building to aid solar gain and day lighting so as to reduce the need for electricity, also solar water heating, and renewable energy source such as wind power, hydropower, bio-mass can all act as alternative and better energy sources in building design.

Water efficiency: Controlling water use and quality monitoring of water, water purification, usage, renewal, re-purification processes. Also building fittings that allows water’s reusage and management are also green components in buildings.

Material efficiency: There is a wide range of materials that have been certified green because of certain conservative properties that they posses. Most finishing materials have thermal properties, non toxic, renewable and recyclable characteristics. Examples are: linoleum, compressed earth block, vermiclimite, cork. Environmental protection agency (EPA) also supports that materials should be sourced locally, and also pre-fabricated materials are encouraged so that on site wastes can be reduced (debris management), also effective noise reduction on site.

Indoor quantity: Volatile organic compounds, microbial contaminants are reduced in an enhanced indoor condition. Ventilation designs, either naturally or artificially provide clean (pure) indoor air. Using finishing materials that have low volatile organic compounds (V.O.C) emissions is recommended. This is to improve the health standard for occupants (end user-user comfortability).

6 CHAPTER TWO

2.0 GREEN ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN NIGERIA

This is an insight into the extent of which green design options has been considered as an alternative to the Nigerian developers. According to a report by Ngozi Sams, Nigerian researchers in workshops with their American counterparts exploring key issues in the development of sustainable buildings. The fact that the challenges of developing innovative designs approaches to sustainable buildings can only be handled by science and technology. For a developing country like Nigeria and with an approximate population of up to 150 million, the task can only be realized on a long term basis. The best way ahead of this vision are the efforts being made to sensitize stakeholders in the construction industry on the advantages of adopting sustainable building technology.

The average Nigerian developer depends on conventional building materials in the country live sandcrete hollow blocks, cement, or mortar and screed timber and aluminum products for roofs and tiles for floor wall finishes. This however is technical over the use of materials which are excessive in terms of cost and ineffective in terms of end users considerations. Contrary to the expensive tiles and concrete reinforced of houses in Nigeria to homes of the same floor area in developed countries like (USA, UK) one would easily see the difference between the choice of construction technology and application of materials and how they affect cost (long term, short term) and end users comfortability. This however poses an environmental threat to the environment on the whole.

2.1 APPRAISAL OF A TYPICAL SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE IN THE TROPICS

Because of the climate of the tropical Africa, locally sourced material such as Latterite (compressed earth blocks) are the best for thermal comfort which can be used as wall

7 materials. When it comes to the area of power supply to buildings, the level of availability in Nigeria is very low. Buildings are under powered and most residential homes power their buildings through the use of private generators. Emission rates of CO2 is on the high side in residential areas and most buildings do not have sustainable power supply such as solar generators (panels) or wind mill generator. These fittings makes users of locally available natural elements such as wind and sunlight which are congested into electrical power through process that do not emit CO2 to the atmosphere.

However, the cost of implication is however not on the cheap side when considering installation but future maintenance index is low. Other green solutions to buildings such as water renewal/storage, waste disposal and recycling systems.

Landscaping and micro climate for buildings etc, will help the building in the tropics to be sustainable beating in mind the abundance of some natural elements such as sunlight, rainfall, wind etc.

2.2 FACTORS AFFECTING THE POPULARITY OF THE GREEN BUILDING IN NIGERIA.

The popularity of the sustainable design in Nigeria is coming up gradually with the exposure of clients to the fact that if so much money allocated for design and construction, then, there should be some atom of sustainability in those buildings. Buildings that are not sustainable in all forms occupy up to 90% of all physical development in Nigeria.

Therefore, to continue and actually realize sustainability, retrofitting might actually be the way forward. For building or proposal developments that are still yet to be constructed , a lot of factors mitigate against actualizing of sustainability in them.

The Nigerian scenario is a lot different compared to other developed countries of the world. I shall examine the following factors that have direct effects on the realization of a typical sustainable building in Nigeria, as a tropical region.

Government policy on infrastructure: The Federal Government of Nigeria has policies which will enable her to finance, operate and maintain infrastructure around the country. Apart from the established ministries, there are other parastatals also established to research and compile

8 proposals that will enable the government to have a feasibility plan on infrastructural development in Nigeria.

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 THE EFFORTS OF THE NIGERIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO EMBARK ON MORE SUSTAINABLE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The efforts of the Nigerian construction industry to embark on more sustainable physical development so as to go in line with the global policies on going green is however faced with challenges. African countries are getting more interested in environmental friendly issues e.g. South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania etc.

The building construction sector being responsible for emissions of high percentage, annually, now bears a burden that must be addressed by its stakeholders.

In Nigeria, the government appears to be attempting to go green through their policies .The Nigeria Energy Commission (NEC) whose mandate includes guarantee of adequate, sustainable optimal supply of energy at affordable cost, in an environmentally friendly way to all sectors of the economy (where building industry is a part)

Having put the above Ministry of Environment and other environmental parastatals in place, the implementation of the green agenda seems to be unachievable by the government. The inability of the government to implement discourages the private sector participation.

The private sector being the major building developers in the real estate/construction industry have not prioritize the usage of sustainable technology in building design and construction compared to other countries of the world, Nigeria still has quite a long way to go. The enabling environment for sustainability in building to thrive is not available in Nigeria because of the poor state of infrastructure such as epileptic energy supply, inefficient transport system, poor waste management, poor enforcement of building codes in the built environment e.t.c.

Building better communities is achievable by better designs and construction innovations, improved environmental quality of building materials and resources, using rating systems to

9 screen building materials available for construction, sensitization of private developers by the consultants etc.

Consultants have the responsibility to convince their clients on sustainable initiatives. Sustainable features in buildings have a low long term cost, therefore still economical. The implementation of such innovative ideas in public government owned buildings can also encourage private builders to accept green methods of building design and construction.

Many local and international conferences, workshops have been held and still will hold on professional development, client sensitization, stakeholders forum, e.t.c. on how to increase the rate of emergence of the green building.

According to a report by This day Newspaper, the US-Nigeria international workshop on innovative design in approaches to sustainable buildings (Nov. 2010), Prof. Ibidapo Obe stated at he opening that there should be constant funding to the areas of research to enable researchers discover better, environmental friendly materials and methods in areas of building design and construction.

Guest speaker at the forum however identified the needs for the country to collaborate with developed countries and their researchers so as to help in important discovering to aid the campaign.

Other numerous meetings are held annually and with time and improvement in government administration, the desired level of sustainability in all aspects of the Nigerian economy, construction industry inclusive.

10 CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 CONCLUSION

The emergence of the green building in Nigeria is not a task that would materialize in time. It will take the time it takes to upgrade infrastructure in the country. However, it is integral for the Nigerian government, public and private stakeholders in the environment and construction industry to promote the green agenda which is sustainability of the built environment in terms of energy, transportation, building construction, general manufacturing, waste disposal and renewal etc.

The advancement of sustainability environment in Nigeria will involve public private participation with the aim of taking green practices as the ultimate social responsibility.