The construction sector stands as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, driving growth and progress by delivering essential infrastructure for societal well-being. Recognized as a pivotal force in national economic advancement, it also bears significant responsibility for environmental impact, ranking among the world’s largest consumers of energy, materials, water, and land resources. A substantial portion—half—of both renewable and non-renewable resources utilized by humanity are allocated to construction endeavors, notably housing, marking it as one of the least sustainable industries worldwide.
Research has shown the profound ecological implications of construction activities, emphasizing the imperative for embracing green building practices. This sector accounts for substantial resource consumption: 12-16% of global water usage, 40% of energy consumption, 40% of raw materials, and 25% of timber, while generating 30-40% of solid waste and contributing 35-40% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Such ecological strain has spurred a global call for integrating sustainability principles into construction practices. Consequently, there has been a notable surge in the adoption of green building concepts and techniques over the last two decades.
Therefore, the adoption of green building practices emerges as a practical approach to constructing structures with minimal environmental impact. Key to achieving this is a thorough understanding of the challenges surrounding the acceptance of Green Building Materials (GBM) within Nigeria’s construction sector. Green building expands upon the principles of sustainability, aiming to create environmentally sound structures while maximizing resource efficiency and ecological health.
Defined as the conscientious utilization of resources to foster a healthy built environment, green building emphasizes responsible resource management and ecological principles. Green building materials play a crucial role in this process, offering environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional construction materials. These materials are designed to mitigate environmental harm and promote sustainability through their eco-friendly characteristics.
In Nigeria, the construction industry faces similar environmental challenges, with rising levels of carbon dioxide emissions and pollution. Reliance on unsustainable materials like Portland cement, sand, and gravel, as well as hydrocarbons for energy, exacerbates these issues. However, there is growing awareness among property owners and clients regarding the importance of environmentally friendly building standards.
Despite this awareness, the uptake of green building materials remains low and inadequately documented within the industry. To address these sustainability concerns, a comprehensive approach is needed, including the adoption of diverse eco-friendly materials and tools to manage construction projects sustainably.
Given these circumstances, it is essential to evaluate the acceptance of green building materials within Nigeria’s construction industry. Promoting the uptake and integration of these materials is vital for creating environmentally friendly built environments.
Green Building
The origins of green building can be traced back to ancient times, exemplified by structures such as the stone dwellings of the Anasazi Indians, dating back to around 700 A.D. These dwellings, resembling apartment-style communities, featured aesthetically pleasing stone masonry. What distinguishes these buildings as green is the Anasazi’s understanding and utilization of natural elements such as sunlight for heating, natural ventilation, and water capture, with construction materials limited to stone, wood, and mud. Remarkably, these Anasazi constructions were observed to be free of toxins, promoting a healthy living environment.
Green buildings are characterized by intentional design and construction aimed at supporting environmental, social, and economic priorities, with a focus on both short-term and long-term performance. Embracing green practices and concepts serves as a means to educate individuals on sustainable approaches to safeguarding the planet. In recent decades, there has been a growing recognition of the disconnect between architectural education and professional practice in addressing global environmental concerns.
Green building construction transcends mere incorporation of contemporary green technologies or materials; it involves a comprehensive reevaluation and integration of all elements and systems related to the structure and its surroundings. Such an approach typically results in a 30% reduction in energy usage compared to conventional building methods, while also minimizing or recycling material waste generated during the construction process.
Advantages of Green Buildings
The benefits of green buildings in India span a wide spectrum, including both tangible and intangible advantages. Tangible benefits include significant reductions in energy consumption, ranging from 20% to 40%, and a corresponding decrease in potable water usage by 30% to 40%. Intangible gains are improved safety and health for building occupants, enhanced productivity, increased comfort, and the immediate integration of modern systems or techniques.
These advantages translate into various cost savings and environmental benefits. Green buildings yield reduced capital investments, thanks to available incentives, and lower operating expenses due to reduced electricity and water usage. Additionally, there are savings in staff costs related to enhanced productivity and worker health, along with increased operational revenue through mechanisms like net metering, higher rentals, and improved occupancy rates.
While the environmental benefits of green buildings are numerous and come with associated costs, the most prominent advantage often emphasized is the reduced consumption of power and water, leading to substantial cost savings.
Limitations and Risks of Green Buildings
Green building development differs from conventional construction, but like traditional projects, green initiatives are also prone to claims and disputes. Concerns are raised regarding potential green litigation stemming from inexperienced entrants in the green market and unfamiliar risks.
While many risks associated with green building are similar to those of ordinary construction, the introduction of efficiency benchmarks and the necessity to achieve specific levels of certification significantly alters the landscape. Additionally, design professionals, particularly those certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), face heightened expectations of care. Designers must navigate the possibility that design failures could result in non-compliance with LEED certification requirements, leading to potential liability arising from inadequate system or component performance over the building’s lifecycle.
Rating System of Green Building in Construction Industries of the World
The global construction sector relies on green building rating systems to foster innovation in engineering and management practices across all stages of building development and maintenance. From initial conception to eventual decommissioning, various challenges emerge, prompting the consideration of economic, social, and environmental factors, including the implementation of efficient building systems and adherence to standards and codes. As a result, building evaluation frameworks have gained widespread acceptance as benchmarks for assessing the performance of environmental buildings, both new and existing.
The roots of modern green building practices can be traced back to initiatives like the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), launched by the UK’s Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 1990, and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, introduced by the US Green Building Council in 1996. The concept of green building has gained global recognition, embraced by numerous countries worldwide, including Nigeria.
However, studies reveal that Nigeria encounters hurdles in advancing implementation standards, frameworks, codes, and regulatory approaches to address environmental concerns in construction. To safeguard the Nigerian environment, the government has enacted laws such as the National Policy on Environment (NPE) of 1989, the Environmental Impact Assessment Act of 1992 (EIA Act), and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act of 1988 (FEPA).
In Nigeria, various professional bodies and private organizations are actively promoting sustainable building practices. The Green Building Council of Nigeria (GBCN) is positioned to play a pivotal role and is exploring collaboration opportunities with the World Green Building Council. In the absence of a dedicated rating tool, there is a possibility of adopting the Green Star SA rating system from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) for assessing structures in Nigeria until the GBCN establishes its own assessment framework.
Numerous countries worldwide have developed green rating guidelines and tools, including BREEAM (UK), Green Star (Australia), LEED (USA), CASBEE (Japan), Green Globe (Canada), Green Mark (Singapore), Greenship (Indonesia), HK-BEAM (Hong Kong), and Greenhomes (India). These systems are tailored to specific regional needs and circumstances.
