CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Construction of green building can be important for a general plan for manageable development. The plan of green buildings focuses on ideal energy productivity and the construction process incorporates need for recycled, recovered and natural materials (Kubba, 2010). The maximized proficient utilization of resources like water, energy and raw materials in these structures makes the indoor environment more profitable, comfortable and better for occupants. As indicated by American Society of Testing and Material (ASTM, 2009), the specified building performance requirements are given by green buildings while disturbance is limited and the service life and importance of worldwide, regional, local ecosystem both when its development are improved. The five significant highlights of ideal green buildings are summed up by (Burnett 2007): more utilization of renewable energy and latent plan; upgrading the hydrologic patterns of building; incorporation with local ecosystems; full execution of indoor environmental quality measures; and close loop material frameworks. Project supervisors or managers and owners should focus on this ideal green structure procedure. As of late development of green buildings has been an overall core interest. With the increment in the quantity of green buildings, it is important to raise the number of skilled experts for planning, developing, overseeing and keeping up the specialised green services and facilities.
Green structure rating framework is an idea that arises in the construction sector in the early 1990's. As per Portalatin et al. (2010) green structure rating framework arose in the United Kingdom known as British Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) in 1990. This was trailed by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in the United States. Green structure rating system has been characterized as deliberate systems used to rate and certify the environmental performance of buildings (UN-HABITANT, 2010). It additionally gives benchmark against which a structure is appraised and furthermore offers a score or descriptive rating for the structure (Adegbile, 2013). The significance of green building appraisal devices have been archived in different investigations (Ali and Al Nsairat, 2009; UN-HABITANT, 2010; Portalatin, et al. 2010; Adegbile, 2013) among others. Specifically, Ali and Al Nsairat (2009) emphasised on the need of creating specialized services and resources for deciding the 'greenness' of a building dependent on proper green rating system accordingly making green building practices simpler to actualize. It is in this way significant for project stakeholders to consider green building evaluation as construction project moves through plan and construction stage to prevent high energy utilization, strong waste generation, global greenhouse emission, ecological harm and asset depletion.
Green structure rating frameworks are created to keep the above issues from happening. Likewise, extraordinary supportability and green building literatures (Ali and Al Nsairat, 2009; Portalatin, et al. 2010; Adegbile, 2013) have documented further advantages of green building rating systems regarding raising awareness of buildings negative ecological effect to players in plan and construction areas; setting benchmarks for building environmental practices to safeguard the minimum performances standard; motivating new designs, thoughts and technical solutions; creating better and more productive places, and lessening building tasks cost. A portion of these advantages could likewise be tackled in construction projects in Nigeria if green structure rating systems and practices were to be incorporated into our construction system. Luckily, construction experts are slowly becoming mindful of the ideas of green structure standards. A few investigations (Ameh, Isijiola and Achi, 2007; Abolore, 2012 and Waniko, 2014) on manageability have been carried out in Nigeria by some researchers. These investigations centered in surveying the degree of familiarity with green building practices and its accruable advantages in construction projects in Nigeria. A recent investigation (Waniko, 2014) additionally uncovered that construction professionals know about green building ideas and rating systems yet do not have a documented corporate philosophy for managing green building issues in their organisations. These outcomes propose a non-existence of rating system for execution of green structure standards in projects, which is a reason for concern.
The investigation of Otegbulu (2011) condemns the Nigerian designers and contractors for carelessness in consolidating green ideas, supportability and environmental issues when planning a new building or retrofitting existing one. The report uncovers that First bank office situated in Marina, Lagos was designed and built without thinking about the tropical climatic state of Lagos, Nigeria. Absence of regular ventilation and lighting in the building makes the whole working space uncomfortable when power from primary framework falls flat or when power generators creates operational problem. Besides, the study revealed a shortage in clients satisfaction, useful space planning and service type in institutional, residential and commercial buildings. This study therefore, attempts to examine the challenges to green building practice among construction workers.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Generally, structures are seen as an inert element of shelter. The present development is looking for it to be as a unique construction that bolsters individuals and advancing technologies to make the physical environment more agreeable, intuitive, secure, gainful and practical. The customary structure materials and other construction/industrial waste are reused financially and valuably for the Nigeria construction industry. How the public authority and construction industry in Nigeria could be persuaded to begin executing changes in material choice that would bring about diminished environmental loadings and see the need to begin requesting the utilization of environmentally less harming construction materials, cycles and activities. The issue presently is the way these can completely be embraced as an innovation in Nigeria construction sector.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this project work is An Appraisal Of Green Building Practices Amongst Construction Practitioners ( Case Study Of Lagos State) However, the specific objectives are:
- To find out whether green buildings are eco-friendly structures and environmentally friendly.
- To create quality building that are commercially viable.
- To adopt environmentally sound and healthy work practices during both construction and occupancy.
- To investigate the benefits of green building in the country
- To determine the main challenges facing project managers in green construction
1.4 Research Questions
The following will be considered to be the research questions for this study:
- Are green buildings eco-friendly structures and environmentally friendly?
- Can quality building be commercially viable?
- Does environmentally sound and healthy work practices during both construction and occupancy?
- What are the benefits of green building in the country?
- What are the main challenges facing project managers in green construction?
1.6 Significance of the Study
Statistics has shown that pace of change and innovation is now so great that in construction industry, we are now experiencing a technological growth similar to that of the entire industrial revolution every 12 months. This shows the level reached so far by construction industry and it’s professional to the effect of green building. Building construction and design are changing in response to many diverse environmental concerns, globalization, increase in less maintenance cost, advance information technology and so on. This project work discusses few of the possibilities that are being explored at the Nigerian building industry.
1.5 Scope of the Study
A major challenge to green building as innovation in Nigeria construction industry is the apparent lack of knowledge on green building concept by the built environment professionals. This knowledge gap impedes the ability of construction professional to fully apply knowledge in the design and construction of green buildings. This project work seeks to increase the awareness that green building and its components are more valuable, cheaper and impact less on the environment than the conventional ones. However, it was not possible for the project to cover all aspects of green building as innovation rather it is just a few to exciting possibilities that are being explored at modern age. The work is not made to be exhaustive, rather it serves as an introduction to some ideas that could revolutionise the way building are designed and constructed with materials that are eco-friendly, cheaper, durable, attractive to tenants and intelligent.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Intelligent Building: An intelligent building is any building that incorporates technological communication systems that do everything from controlling the buildings environment, lighting and security to maintaining high-speed data network and emergency backup generators.
Green Building: These are buildings that adopt the best practices of environmental technology for optimizing the use for natural resources for providing the clean and cost effective working ambience.
