STRATEGIES FOR GREEN BUILDING MATERIAL ADOPTION IN NIGERIA CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

ABSTRACT

The construction industry of any nation is one of the greatest and most important sectors that strengthen economic development. It is the least sustainable industry in the world as it consumes more than half of all the non-renewable resources humankind use in construction works, especially housing. The activities of the industry contribute greatly to environmental pollution which is among the world largest consumer of energy, material resources, water, and land dereliction. This study aims to appraise green building materials within the Nigerian construction industry, with a view to suggesting a veritable strategy for their adoption. To achieve this, a Mixed Method Design was adopted.  A total of 372 questionnaires were distributed for the purpose of the study, 156 valid questionnaires were administered. Descriptive method of data analysis was adopted using simple random sampling technique and through the use of interview. Percentages, Frequency, Mean Item Score (MIS), and Relative Importance Index (RII) were used to analyse the collected data through the administration of questionnaire.   The study found that construction stakeholders are aware of the existence and adoption of some green materials like empty plastic bottles, clay and mud, grasses, bricks, stone and timber, with the correlation showing an insignificant level of p>0.05. The major drivers of green building materials adoption in construction are; resource efficiency, reduction in the lifecycle costs of buildings, legislation / legal requirement, financial incentives, and cost reduction, the Resource efficiency is ranked 1st with RH of 0.972 while Developing regulatory mechanisms is the least with RH of 0.473 of Driver of GBM Adoption in NCI. Also, higher costs of green building construction, lack of professional knowledge and expertise in green building, lack of importance  attached  to  green  building  technology by senior  management,  lack  of financing schemes such as bank loans, and lack of government incentive are the major barriers to the adoption of green building materials in construction, the Barrier to Green Building Materials Adoption in Construction is highest in Higher expenses of Green buildings construction and lowest in Lengthy repayment timeframes from implementing GBT with 0.99 and 0.50 respectively. Provision of incentives to encourage innovation in sustainable construction, rigorous green building promotion by government, use of technologies that permit the deconstruction and recycling of the building components, and adequate training centres with adequate funding of research and development; were the strategies for improving the adoption of green building materials,  strategies  to  improve  GBM  uptake  has  0.99  RH  value,  ranked  1st . Establishment of enticements to inspire invention in sustainable construction and 0.70 RH value for Provision of Sustainable Materials Selection Criteria which is ranked the least.  It was concluded that there is a very strong and positive relationship between level of awareness and adoption of GBM and was recommended that appropriate legislations  should  be  put  in  place  by the  Nigerian  government  to  encourage  the adoption of green building practices in the construction industry with support from top stakeholders and the provision of financial and other incentive to encourage the adoption of GBM.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0        INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

Construction industry is one of the primary sectors of the Nigerian economy which account for its growth and development through provision of infrastructure that carters for  the  wellbeing  of  the  society  (Isa,  2017).  The  construction  industry  has  been adjudged as one of the greatest and vital industries that strengthen the economic development of any nation which by virtue of its size, contributes greatly to environmental pollution and is among the world largest consumer of energy, material resources, water, land dereliction (Ding, 2008, Ding et al., 2010; Ding et al., 2011). Fifty percent (50%) of non-renewable and renewable resources consumed by humans are used for construction work, especially housing, thus, constitute the least sustainable industries in the world (US Department of Energy, 2016).

Horvath (2004) posits that construction has a huge amount of effects on the natural environment and consideration for green building covers a bigger aspect of the construction industry (Nwafor, 2006).  The construction industry consumes 12- 16% of all water available, an  energy production totalling 40%, 40% of all raw materials, renewable as well as non-renewable resources making up 32, 25% of all timber and produce 30-40% solid waste and 35-40% of carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted globally (Son et al., 2011; Berardi, 2013; Low et al., 2014).

This damaging effect of construction industry with regards to the balanced ecosystem has triggered a global outcry for the acceptance/application of sustainable practices in the industry (Wang et al., 2014). The demand for green building has over the past two decades experienced an increase in green building concepts and practices globally (Xue,2016).  Consequently,  green  building  development  is  now  the  viable  means  for delivering building that are less harmful effect to the environments and one of the ways to achieving this, is the proper understanding of the issues relating to the acceptance of Green Building Material (GBM) in the Nigeria building industry (Adebayo, 2012). Green building can be conceptualized with regards to extending the concept of sustainability to building and construction activities and this can help achieve a state of sustainability as far as the construction industry is concerned (Mbamali, 2005).

Green building can be referred to as the use of environmentally responsible process in maximizing the effective usage of resources like water and energy with the view of creating a healthy land, water and also the quality of air all over the     building in question (Shittu, 2014). According to Kibert (2008) and Bourdeau (1999), ―green building may be well-defined as the formation and responsible management of a healthy environment based on the efficiency of resources and principles of ecology‖. Green building  materials  are  special  materials  for  green  building  construction  and  the adaptation of this system is more sustainable compared to the conventional building (Sheth, 2016). Green  building materials are environmentally  friendly materials that helps to mitigate or limit issues that are potentially harmful to the environment (Greenomics, 2016).

Ideal building materials are materials with no negative/ harmful effect on the environment and such material ought to be substantially reusable or recyclable and also, the  material  should  be  considered  as  a  friend  to  the  environment  (Oyegiri  & Ugochukwu, 2016). The Construction industry in Nigeria is not an exception to this challenge, as the level of carbon dioxide emission and environmental pollution is also on the increase. Nigeria is a country which mostly depend on Portland cement, sand and gravel for its building materials fulfilment and hydrocarbons for its energy need which are not sustainable (Sambo, 2014).

Public consciousness of environmental issues has experienced significant improvements in Nigeria and so, property title-holders and also clients now try to find commercial buildings  with  acceptable  and  satisfactory  environmental  standard,  where  standard health level can be obtained through green building development (Shittu, 2014). Unfortunately, the uptake level of the green building material concept is still very low and not properly documented in the industry. In order to tackle these sustainable issues, there is the need for a radical approach toward delivering construction projects and the adoption of diverse eco-friendly materials/tools that will help manage projects  and deliver them sustainably (Aghimien et al., 2018).

Based on the afore mentioned, it is imperative to appraise the acceptance of green building materials within the Nigerian construction industry and one of the ways to achieving environmentally friendly built environment is the uptake and incorporation of constructions using green building materials. Hence, the need for the study which sort to appraise the uptake aimed at the adoption and acceptance of green building materials in the Nigerian construction industry.

Green building materials are materials that make ideal use of resources, generate least amount of waste and are harmless to environment and people (David, 2015). For example, using materials like lime in building can help buildings absorb carbon rather than releasing it that will eventually result to reduction in dangerous effect on the environment (Ashish, 2012).

1.2       Statement of the Research Problem

Increase in the demand of houses has led to the consumption of more energy, resources and raw materials that are accountable for the upsurge of the air‘s carbon content that is dangerous to human wellbeing and the environment at large (Akshay, et al., 2015). As stated earlier, contemporary designs obviously consume a high number of physical resources  like  materials,  energy and  money in  their  construction,  maintenance  and usage; nonetheless they can also result in negative effects for example, loss of amenity and biodiversity which are much more tough to assess.

Each year, building construction activities globally consume raw materials up to three billion tons representing about 40% of total use world-wide. In tropical region like Nigeria with hot and cold weather depending on location, there is need to take the preservation of Nigeria finite energy and ecological resources seriously now more than important (Shittu, 2014).

Therefore, the construction industry is causing various environmental hazard that has call   for   the   need   to   build   with   more   sustainable   materials   also   known   as environmentally friendly materials‖,  so as to help in the creation of an ecological environment for living.

The environmental gains of building with green building materials includes the safety of ecological community, improved water and air quality which improves the occupant‘s health, fewer waste flowing into water bodies and the conservation of natural resources. These benefits will yield in lowering costs of operations because they typically use a smaller amount of energy and materials (Mehta, 2013). Despite the vital importance of green   building  materials   to   the   construction   industry  as   well   as   the   for  the environmental  stability,  the  construction  industry  in  Nigeria  is  yet  to  substantially implement the use of green building material in their construction processes (Akadiri et al., 2012; Afolabi & Olamide, 2012; Opaluwa et al., 2015 and Ikechukwu & Ugochukwu, 2016).

This study is therefore required at this time when the effects of climate changes and global warming is severe on the built environment. Thus, investigating the utilization of green  and  sustainable  materials  and  locally  accessible  materials  that  are environmentally friendly within the Nigerian Construction Industry (NCI) would lead to a better future.

1.3       Research Questions

The following research questions provide the framework for this study:

1.   What is the level of awareness of green building materials (GBM) and its adoption within the NCI?

2.   What are the drivers of GBM adoption in the NCI?

3.   What are the barriers to the adoption of GBM?

4.   How can the uptake of GBM towards Sustainable Construction Practices (SCP) be improved?

1.4       Aim and Objectives of the Study

This research is aimed at appraising adoption of green building materials within the

NCI, with the view to developing strategies for its uptake towards SCP. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives include;

1.   To  determine  the  level  of  awareness  and  adoption  of  green  building  materials (GBM) within NCI.

2.   To determine the drivers of GBM adoption.

3.   To examine the barriers to GBM uptake in Nigeria.

4.   To propose strategies for an improved GBM uptake leading to SCP in NCI.

1.5       Justification for the Study

In many developed and some developing countries, the construction industry is developing sustainability ethics grounded on ―the principles of resources efficiency, health and productivity‖. In Nigeria, sustainable construction and the use of sustainable materials has gotten inadequate attention and awareness (Dania, 2007). Studies have however discovered that the level of sustainability in many developing countries is low (according to Alabi, 2012; Aje, 2016; Baron & Donath, 2016) and statements as to the poor nature of sustainability in construction projects carried out in most developing countries have been made in recent times, and the NCI is not excluded (Aje, 2016; Alabi, 2012; Al-Saleb & Taleb, 2010; Baron & Donath, 2016).

Several studies about the challenges of Green Building (GB) in third world (developing) countries around the world has emerged (Aigbavboa et al., 2017; Alsanad, 2015; Ametepey  et  al.,  2015;  Ayarkwa  et  al.,  2017;  Djokoto  et  al.,  2014).  However, researches on ―GB and its material adoption‖ emerging from Nigeria are more centred on GB knowledge issues (Ekung et al., 2016). This includes; its perception, awareness, and sustainable facilities management (Aluko 1997; Magaji, 2015; Nduka & Sotunbo, 2014),  renewable  energy  and  energy  efficiency  (Ahmed  &  Gidado,  2008;  Bugaje, 2006), GB (Olanipekun, 2015), materials and management tools in delivering GB (Attman et al., 2019; Augenbroe et al., 2009).

However, GBM for building should be considered as an important rationale in the field of  green  architecture  with  environmental  sustainability  in  urban  as  well  as  rural societies in the country, which raises questions to the role institutions can play in order to  create  knowledge  and  a  better  sustainable  future  based  on   green  building construction, the design and the materials which is perceived as a commencement of fresh era for the country (Shittu, 2014).

The need for sustainable world has arisen and Nigeria cannot be left behind. Educating the leaders in collaboration with the stakeholders can support the facilitation for developing as well as adopting sustainable buildings in the country. It is important to decide building green with the use of GBM early at the design stage so as to make the building compatible with the environment which helps to optimize the entire success of the building project by incorporating the green potential, reduction in redesigning and to ensure viable economic aspect in relation to the green elements.

Therefore, the outcome of this research determines to complement the existing bodies of knowledge/ data about the principles, practices, adoption and importance of GBM in the NCI. This will further encourage the industry‘s stakeholders in validating its adoption, usage and implementation within the country for both public and private construction projects in Nigeria.

1.6       Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This research work proposes to adequately cover strategies for GBM adoption with the view to improve the adoption of the GBM and also, improve the SCP within the NCI. It is imperative to note that the degree of awareness/development and acceptance of green building, its materials and practices in the NCI when executing this research might affect the data gathering process thus depending on data/information from appropriate professionals in the fields, structured interview/data gathered from relevant authorities, journals, related researches and reports. Consequently, the extent of green building, its materials and development in the country, time factor and other relevant factors, the study shall be restricted to the strategies for GBM adoption within the NCI.

1.7       Operational Definition of Terms

Green building: “Green building denotes both a structure and application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient during a building life cycle‖ (Baumann et. al., 2008).

Sustainable  development:  this  refers  to  the  ―the  organizing  principle  for  meeting human development goals even though at the same time sustaining the ability of natural systems  to  make  available  the  resources  and  ecosystem  services  upon  which  the economy and society depends on‖ (Brundtland report, 1987).

Sustainable construction: “This is a process of designing, renovating or adapting a building in compliance with environmental rules and energy saving procedures‖ (Environmental Protection Agency, 2016).

Green building materials (GBM): “GBM are materials that are available locally for energy efficiency, sustainability, durability and lessens side effects on environment to make efficient sustainable structure and also, reduce the pollution content on the environment‖ (Akshay et. al.,2015).

Sustainable Building:   A sustainable building, or green building is an outcome of a design philosophy which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials  — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal (Hari S., 2015).

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