On the need for sustainable construction in Nigeria (2)

continued from last week

Water conservation: Water use can be minimised in construction projects through several measures, such as rainwater harvesting systems, low-flow fixtures, efficient irrigation and regular maintenance and leak detection.
Sustainable building materials: Sustainable building materials are alternative building construction materials that reduce construction cost, reduce energy use, emission and greenhouse gas. They include recycled materials being used in construction including concrete made from natural fibres, recovered construction demolition wastes and processed timber which abound in Nigeria.

The challenges facing sustainable construction in Nigeria are:
Lack of will – The government does not see sustainable construction, which will ensure adequate housing, as a priority. Where there is will, there will always be a way.

Cost – It is always expensive to move an industry from one business model to another, especially one as composite and complex as construction. Sustainable building materials are still in their infancy, and supply is limited. But success stories from Malta, Turkey and the United Kingdom mean it can be achieved. As with any renewable technology, operational costs are lower and money is saved in the long term.

Knowledge – it is important for the construction industry to up-skill itself, so that architects, builders, civil engineers, site managers and clients know the benefits of sustainable practices and materials.

Regulations – work needs to be done to make building regulations more stringent when it comes to sustainability. There should be minimum and maximum standards on buildings so that man, in his greediness, will not build expensively at the detriments of the masses. Sustainability should be the standard and not an exception. It should be the minimum requirement and not a premium on buildings.
The construction industry is becoming more sustainable globally. The Nigerian government has to outline her commitment to meet the Global Goals or Sustainable Development Goals through construction of affordable houses, befitting and organised structures, and eradicating abject or extreme poverty.

How construction can play its part:
Government’s sustainable construction strategy: The government can publish its Sustainable Construction Strategy to provide a clear path for improving sustainability in construction. This strategy will include local material inclusion in construction. The country can adopt energy efficiency in construction institutions like BREEAM.

BREEAM: BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a global sustainability standard helping to improve the environmental performance of buildings. The Green Guide also assesses the environmental impact of materials during their life cycle.

ISO14001 Certification: ISO 14001 Environmental Management is a standard for a company’s Environmental Management Systems. It aims to reduce waste management costs and shows commitment to protecting the environment. It also helps resource efficiency, which is very relevant in construction when it comes to materials used.

Building construction method as a political statement: Globally, building construction methods and materials are being seen as political statements especially sustainability in construction. Those countries who are observing sustainable construction are seen as ethical, elitist and civilised while those that have not started observing its laudable principles are seen as backward and “irresponsible”.

Social Responsibility (CSR): Sustainable construction can help individuals, organisations and states’ reputation by demonstrating their sense of social responsibilities, which is how they conduct themselves in order to have a positive impact on society. Ethical considerations and green alternatives to materials are both ways the construction industry can demonstrate social responsibility.

Net Zero in construction: To help the construction industry contribute to the Nigerian government’s ambition of achieving net zero by 2050, new regulations must be introduced. To achieve this in the UK, The Future Homes and Future Buildings Standards that ensure all new domestic and commercial buildings by 2030 are ‘energy-efficient’ have been introduced. This means that they do not require any retrofitting measures to be zero-carbon compliant. Nigeria must phase out the usage of wood and charcoal for cooking say from 2030. We also need to introduce a performance-based rating scheme for large non-domestic buildings. The challenge is that a country that cannot enforce its National Building Codes cannot be able to ensure ethical considerations in construction.

Developments in sustainable construction materials: Twelve percent (12%) of Nigeria’s carbon emissions comes from the embodied emissions in construction – with a large proportion of this figure coming from the use of traditional building materials like sandcrete blocks, granite and concrete. The construction industry is not increasingly using sustainable building materials that do not impact the environment, from natural and biodegradable materials like bamboo, cob and straw, to reclaimed and recycled wood, steel and plastic.

Sustainable construction methods: As well as more sustainable materials, construction can make changes to the way it operates and undertakes its activities.

Sustainable construction methods include:
• Conducting need assessment before housing provision to reduce empty completed houses. It also includes being ‘responsive’ and meeting the general needs of clients.
• Conversion of abandoned buildings to usable residential and office buildings and reduce building starts.
• Enactment of law and taxes to forestall completed but vacant buildings and establishment of minimum and maximum standard in building construction.
• Limiting the materials used in construction to reduce waste.
• Controlling waste management, such as separating and recycling wastes.
• Managing construction sites to improve conservation efforts including conserving energy.

With over 60,000 abandoned properties across Nigeria, 30 percent of which are in Lagos State, and close to 28 million units housing deficit, sustainable construction of buildings can surely close the gap and ensure housing adequacy. Nations are now looking inward, reducing importation of building materials and embarking on usage of local materials for their construction. This does not only make economic sense, it allows nations to build with materials that relate with their culture and environment. There is now a business opportunity in sustainable construction in Nigeria. Building is not about usage of expensive materials; it is about a nation identifying with its culture and ensuring its people are adequately housed.