ABSTRACT
The major purpose of this study
was to determine the needs for environmental friendly materials for building
construction. The population of the study consisted mostly of big constriction
firms in Anambra State that have had more than five years of active
construction experience the sample for the study was 10 reputable construction
firms which were drawn using simple random sampling. Four research questions
and two hypothesis were formulated, which guided the study. A 30-item
structured questionnaire was developed for data collection. Frequency count / percentages
and weighted mean (likert scale) were used to answer the research questions,
which chi-square was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance.
It was concluded among others that environmental unfriendly building materials
has serious negative impacts on the environment. Which needs an urgent
attention in other to save the environment from global warming and other
negative effects. Based on the findings and conclusions drawn from the study
recommendations were made for Anambra
State government to take a legislation that will help for effective use of
environmental friendly material for building construction in Anambra State.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
of the study
1.2 Statement of
the problem
1.3 Research
aims and objectives
1.4 Significance
of the study
1.5 Research
question
1.6 Research
Hypotheses
1.7 Study area
1.8 Definition
of terms.
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Negative Impacts
2.1.1 Extraction of raw materials
2.1.2 Construction Waste
2.1.3 Packaging
2.1.4 Transpiration
2.1.5 Use / Maintenance
2.2.0 Effects of using environmentally friendly material for building
construction
2.2.1 Environmental friendly materials is describe by the dictionary as a
product that has been designed to do the least possible damage to the
environment.
2.2.2 Renewable source
2.2.3 Reusable or Recyclable
2.2.4 Locally available
2.2.5 Durability and Life Span
2.2.6 Energy Conservation
2.2.7 Improve Indoor Air quality
2.2.8 Reduce environmental Impact
2.3.0 Characteristics that determine the Environmental sustainability of
given building materials
2.3.1 Life-Cycle Assessment
2.3.2 Pre-Building Phase
2.3.3 Building phase
2.3.4 Pose building Phase
2.3.4.1 To be reused in its entity
2.3.4.2 To be recycled or Down cycle
2.3.4.3 To be discarded
2.3.5 Features of environmentally friendly Materials
2.3.5.1 Pollution prevention measures
2.3.5.2 Waste Reduction Measures
2.3.5.3 Recycled content
2.3.5.4 Live cycle analysis for automobiles
2.3.6.1 Embodies energy measurement
2.4.0 Derivable benefits in using environmentally friendly materials for
building constructions.
2.4.1 Reusability
2.4.2 Recyclability
2.4.3 Biodegradability
2.4.4 Re-education of construction waste
2.4.5 Energy Efficiency
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Sources
of data collection
3.2.1 Primary data
3.2.2 Secondary Data
3.3 Population
of the study
3.4 Sample
section technique
3.5 Research
Methods
3.6 Methods
of Investigation
3.7.0 Validity and Reliability of the measuring
instrument
3.8.0 Administration of questionnaires and
Retrievals
3.9.0 Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.0 Cast
study / Data Presentation / Analysis and Interpretation of data
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.1 Findings,
Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1.1 Summary
of findings
5.1.2 The
effects of using environmentally friendly materials
for building constructions
5.1.3 The characteristics that determine the
environmental
sustainability of a given building materials
5.1.4 The
derivable benefits in using environmentally friendly
materials for building construction.
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
References
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
In recent years more and more attention is being
paid to the environmental impacts of building materials. The constantly
increasing cost of energy and raw materials force the construction industry to
think about alternatives such as renewable energy sources and raw materials and
the reduction of wast.
Climate change and environmental pressures are
major drivers for the promotion of environmental friendly materials.
Furthermore, this trend is spreading fast and the
international document stating intent of being more environmental friendly one
as presented. The Kyoto protocol, the energy performance of building directive
of the EU, Eneergy Efficiency Directive. In line with the desire for
environmental friendly materials, some government have change their legislation
setting targets for the sustainability of public and residential
buildings. On the other hand, statistics
show that an important factor for the well-being of the inhabitants is the
choice of building materials, “unhealthy” materials cannot only cause environmental
problems but can equally cause asthma and cancer and therefore it is extremely
important to choose low emitting building materials. We spend most of our times
indoors and building materials influence the “health” and safety of the indoor
environment.
The
building industry in Anambra state is rapidly changing-new building materials
are all the time emerging on the market and new construction techniques are
being developed and more and more challenging designs are being developed to be
built it in the expectation that the next building generation will be of low
energy and sustainable building materials. The first step towards environmental
friendly construction is the appropriate choice of building materials. This is
a challenging task and which this research intends to investigate to ascertain
the environmental impacts of the chosen materials before the design and
construction phases.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The use of environmental unfriendly materials in
building construction is a major environmental problem that significantly needs
attention. When environmental problem arises as a result of impacts of toxic
construction materials the effect of those materials to the environment must be
immediately assessed, which outcome depends upon a number of factors.
1) Why is
one material environmentally friendly and another not?
2) Life
cycle assessment of a material and its characteristics.
3) How every phase of the life of a material
influences the environment?
4) The impacts of construction materials like
concrete, block and timber to the environment.
5) The
rating of embodied energy of a material.
6) The criteria that determine the
sustainability of a building materials in a given environment.
The effects and consequences of using
environmentally unfriendly materials have posed the challenge for the
development and use of alternative materials that are friendly to the
environment in the building construction industry.
1.3 RESEARCH
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study is to examine the need for
the use of environmentally friendly material for building
construction in Anamba State.
With the following objectives.
1) To
identity the negative impacts on the environment by the use of unfriendly
building materials.
2) To
evaluate the effects of using environmentally friendly materials for building
construction.
3) To
ascertain the characteristics that determine the environmentally sustainability
of a given building material.
4) To
articulate the benefits in using environmentally friendly materials for
building construction.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of this
study will largely contribute to and influence the use of environmentally
friendly materials for building construction.
Thus:
1) Use of
environmentally friendly materials will promote conservation of dwindling
non-renewable resources in Anambra State.
2) Environmentally
friendly materials when used will help to increase the energy efficiency in
construction and reduce negative impacts on human well being.
3) Will
define systematic approach, where by use of environmentally friendly material
will ensure environmental sustainability.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1) What
are the negative impacts on the environment by the use of unfriendly building
materials
2) What are
the effects of using environmentally friendly materials for building
construction.
3) What
are the characteristics that determine the environmental sustainability of a
given building materials.
4) What
are the derivable benefits in using environmentally friendly materials for
building constructions.
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The
following null hypothesis was formulated for the study to be tested 0.0.5 level
of significance
Ho: Environmental
unfriendly building materials does not have any significance impacts on the
environment.
Hi: Environmental
unfriendly building materials has a significance impacts on the environment.
1.7 STUDY AREA
This study was
carried out in Anambra State, South-eastern Nigeria.
It boundaries are formed by Delta State to the
West, Imo State and Rivers State to the South, Enugu State to the east and Kogi
State to the North. A coordinates: 6.20N 7000.E with a total Area of
4,844km2 (1.870semi) population (2006 census) 4,055.048 (Anambra
State-Wikipedia).
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
* Environment: The natural conditions in
which people, animals and plants live (Oxford Dictionary).
* Environmental friendly materials: A
product that has been designed to do the least possible damage to the
environment. (Oxford Dictionary).
* EmbodiedEnergy: The sealer total to energy input required to produce the
product including transporting them to the building site.
* Biodegradable: Materials ability to
change to a harmless natural state by the action of bacteria (oxford
Dictionary)