E3 Journal of Environmental Research and Management

E3 Journal of Environmental Research and Management Vol. 3 (1) pp. 009-016, January 2012; © E3 Journals; ISSN 2141-7466

Sustainable housing provision: preference for the use of interlocking masonry in housing delivery in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper reports a study on the preference level for the use of interlocking masonry over the conventional types in sustainable housing delivery in Nigeria. Globally, buildings are the largest energy consumers and greenhouse gases emitters, consuming over 50% in some cases. Common materials used for masonry works in housing delivery in Nigeria such as sandcrete blocks and burnt bricks impact high energy and greenhouse gases on the environment due to the production processes involved. Intelligent choice of building materials capable of reducing energy used in buildings is imperative towards achieving materials efficiency and cost reduction. In this study, a comparative survey was carried out empirically among selected professionals in the building industry from 4 out the 6 geo-political zones in Nigeria through the use of questionnaire, direct observations, and interview schedules. Analyses of Chi-square test for significance of differences between materials price rating and acceptability of interlocking masonry as well as level of willingness of respondents to use the selected materials for future projects were conducted. Findings signify shorter time of construction and reduced cost of construction expended when interlocking blocks are used. The study concludes that interlocking masonry is a good replacement to the conventional types in construction of housing in Nigeria.

Keywords: building materials, conventional blocks, housing provision, interlocking blocks, sustainable.