Integrating Environmental Priority Concerns in Building Planning and Production in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

This study aims at encouraging and supporting building developers to integrate environmental concerns more centrally in the planning and production management of buildings in Niger Delta, Nigeria. The objectives are to evaluate the integration level of environmental sustainability concerns, the barriers to effective integration of the concerns and design a decision framework for effective integration of the environmental concerns in the production process. A purposive survey of 148 stakeholders with structured questionnaire resulted in 136 valid responses from; Architect (30), Builders(14), Clients(35), Engineers(22), Town Planners(18) and Surveyors (17). Data were analysed using descriptive, mean score, and Kruskal Wallis tests. The study concludes that, the highest level of integration is given to concern for air quality, natural lighting, and landscape & historical sites protection, while only about 50% of the identified concerns attained moderate integration level.

The study found that higher final costs, lack of sustainability promotion strategy, lack of demand and lack of building codes and regulation are the most significant barrier to the integration of environmental concerns, with all the stakeholders having common views on the issues. Based on the findings it is recommended that Government and her agencies should provide the building codes and regulation as well as the enlightenment and supports which will enhance integration of environmental concerns in building planning and production. Stakeholders should endeavour to apply the designed decision framework to enhance the integration of the environmental concerns for sustainable development.