ADAPTATION OF BIOMIMICRY ARCHITECTURE PRINCIPLE FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN CIVIC CENTRE LOKOJA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Civic centre is a reference point of any city where it is located and has been designed to attract interest, hence symbolic expression is one of the paramount requirements in a civic centre design. Biomimicry is defined as imitation of life. It would go a long way in enhancing the architecture of civic centre design in Nigeria. The capabilities that are abounding in biomimicry architecture could be explored in design of a sustainable civic centre  so  it  could  behave  like  an  organism  that  would  respond  to  its  internal  and external environmental demands, hence this research seeks to control the building’ energy efficiency to create comfort for the occupants. The aim  of the research  is to adopt the principles of biomimicry architecture as a passive design approach for energy efficiency in civic centre design. The research method used for this study is descriptive survey method. Termite mound architecture principles was adopted in this research as a passive measures for ensuring energy efficiency in the design of civic centre in Nigeria. The research discovered that passive design features for energy efficiency are green roof, breathing skin, roof vent, evaporative effect, and atrium for cooling the building. The research recommended that green building design should be made a criterion to be met by design proposals before approval for construction is given. This is to ensure that new buildings are sustainable.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Sustainable buildings are explained as the buildings that make use of environmentally friendly materials that have little or no effects on the environment, utilizing renewable energy that is required for their various functions or tasks carried within the buildings, ensuring energy and water efficiency, as well as making use of the locally availabe materials in the region (Zubairu, 2018). The interest in sustainability grew after the energy shortage that emerged after the first and second energy crises of the sixties; researchers started to search for an alternative way of generating energy such that the total energy consuption in any facility is not heavily dependent on fossil fuels (Wen et al., 2017). Biomimicry is a term that means imitation of life (Pawlyn, 2011). It has the purpose of designing to emulate and integrate with natural systems when planning for a human design with the aim of reducing: energy, material, weight, cost and pollution (El Ghawaby et al., 2010).

Researchers have defined various approachs to answer the problem of energy consumption in buildings thereby moving the idea of sustainability globally towards achieving its utmost aim. Sustainability makes use of nature to solve this immediate problem and questions that the environment demanded from the buildings. Biomimicry architecture is a branch of these different approaches to answer these questions that the environment and it inhabitants demanded.

In addition, the whole concept of sustainable development is an attempt to articulate environmental and human needs in the pursuit of economic growth and development. It is a process of transition in which the exploitation of available resources, investments, application of technology and institutional change are in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations (Adeyinka, 2005).

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

A civic centre is one of the components of a city that forms and transforms throughout the history of a nation in several periods, but continues to be a reference point or symbol of the city where it is located, and has been designed to attract interest (Cullen, 1998). Hence, expression (placemaking) is one of the paramount requirements in a civic centre design.

Many  previous works on civic centres have addressed this issue by the use of Postmodern and Deconstructive architecture which has deliberately minimized architectural coherence and  deprives  the  senses  in  search  for meaningful  information and expressions at the heart of the modern urban setting (Salingaros et al., 2004).

An evolutionary-ecological approach to aesthetics suggests that the incorporation of natural shapes and forms, actual or symbolic, into the built environment should have a strong positive impact on people as well as the environment (Joye, 2007). Therefore biomimicry architecture would go a long way in enhancing the architecture of civic centre design in Nigeria. The capabilities that are abounding in biomimicry architecture could be explored in design of a sustainable civic centre so it could behave like an organism that would respond to its internal and external environmental demands. Likewise, this research will adopt this process to control the building‟ energy efficiency to create comfort for the occupants.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The aim of the research is to adapt the principle of biomimicry architecture as a passive design approach for energy efficiency in civic centre design in  Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are:

i. To determine the principles of biomimicry architecture that are applicable in the area of civic centre design.

ii. To ascertain means of ensuring energy efficiency in civic centre buildings.

iii. To incorporate all the relevant research findings to enhance energy efficiency in the proposed civic centre design.

1.5 Research Questions

This research shall seek to answer the following questions

i. What aspects of biomimicry architecture and to what level can they be applied in Civic centres?

ii. To what extent can energy efficiency be enhanced in civic centres Nigeria?

iii. How can biomimicry architecture be applied to produce an energy efficient civic centre in the study area?

1.6 Justification for the Study

Studies have shown that energy consumption is increasing (Shaikh et al., 2016), with the energy operating costs of commercial and industrial buildings and other building types (Continental Automated Buildings Association, 2008). Civic centres have higher energy consumption as these buildings house many of activities of the community throught the day and night which makes use of heating, lighting, ventilating, and sound. In order to provide leisure and comfort to the occupants and the users, the building services and activities may be running 24 hours throughout the year.

However, the growth in the tourism industry has caused an increase in stress on the environment (Alexander, 2002), hence the need to utilize the environmental potentials for national development and investment not jeopardizing the aim of   sustainability. This study seeks to show passive step in which a building can maintain low energy wastage and reduce energy consumption through biomimicry architecture utilizing the maximum tourism potentials on the site, to propose a civic centre design to be located at confluence of River Niger and Benue at Lokoja Kogi State, Nigeria.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study covers the review of sustainable buildings, how principle of biomimicry architecture can help improve the energy efficiency in civic centre buildings and serve as an icon for attracting tourists from far and near regions around the world. The principles shall be applied to the proposed civic centre design to be located at Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria.

1.8 Contribution to Knowledge

This research throws light on the area of Biomimicry Architecture concept that are applicable in the area of civic centre designs in Nigeria. Given that climatic conditions in the world vary from one region to another, the thesis will demonstrate how sustainability design can be achieved by utilizing the potentials on the site to achieve good energy efficiency in buildings in Nigeria.

1.9       Study Area

The  study area  is  located  in  Lokoja,  Lokoja  Local  Government  Area,  Kogi  State, Nigeria (figure 1.3). Kogi State is located at the central area of Nigeria with Lokoja as its capital (figure 1.1). River Niger and River Benue met at Lokoja which was the first capital of Nigeria. Kogi State consists of three main ethnic groups, which are the Ebira, Igala and the Okun people. Kogi State comprises of 21 local governments of which the proposed  site  is  Lokoja  Local  Government  Area  (figure  1.2).  The  State  has  many mineral resources such as limestone, iron, petroleum, and coal. It  also accommodates the largest steel company in Nigeria and Dangote cement industry at Ajoakuta known as the Ajaokuta Steel Company and Obajana Cement Factory.

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