NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY MATERIALS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN ANAMBRA STATE

By

UGWUOWO OBED VICTOR

Presented To

Department of Building Technology

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

Cover page

Title

Certification i

Approval iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgment v

Abstract vi

Table of contents vii

CHAPTER ONE

10 Introduction 1

11 Background of the study 1

12 Statement of the problem 2

13 Research aims and objectives 3

14 Significance of the study 4

15 Research question 4

16 Research Hypotheses 4

17 Study area 5

18 Definition of terms 5

CHAPTER TWO

20 Literature Review 8

21 Negative Impacts

211 Extraction of raw materials

212 Construction Waste

213 Packaging

214 Transpiration

215 Use / Maintenance

220 Effects of using environmentally friendly material for building construction

221 Environmental friendly materials is describe by the dictionary as a product that has been designed to do the least possible damage to the environment

222 Renewable source

223 Reusable or Recyclable

224 Locally available

225 Durability and Life Span

226 Energy Conservation

227 Improve Indoor Air quality

228 Reduce environmental Impact

230 Characteristics that determine the Environmental sustainability of given building materials

231 Life-Cycle Assessment

232 Pre-Building Phase

233 Building phase

23 4 Pose building Phase

2341 To be reused in its entity

2342 To be recycled or Down cycle

2343 To be discarded

235 Features of environmentally friendly Materials

2351 Pollution prevention measures

2352 Waste Reduction Measures

2353 Recycled content

2354 Live cycle analysis for automobiles

2361 Embodies energy measurement

240 Derivable benefits in using environmentally friendly materials for building constructions

241 Reusability

242 Recyclability

243 Biodegradability

244 Re-education of construction waste

245 Energy Efficiency

CHAPTER THREE

30 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 22

31 Introduction

32 Sources of data collection 28

321 Primary data 28

322 Secondary Data 28

33 Population of the study 29

34 Sample section technique 29

35 Research Methods 30

36 Methods of Investigation 31

370 Validity and Reliability of the measuring instrument 32

380 Administration of questionnaires and Retrievals 32

390 Method of Data Analysis 36

CHAPTER FOUR

40 Cast study / Data Presentation / Analysis and Interpretation of data 37

CHAPTER FIVE

51 Findings, Conclusion and Recommendation 67

511 Summary of findings 67

512 The effects of using environmentally friendly materials

for building constructions 68

513 The characteristics that determine the environmental

sustainability of a given building materials 68

514 The derivable benefits in using environmentally friendly

materials for building construction 69

52 Conclusion 69

53 Recommendations 70

References 71

CHAPTER ONE

10 INTRODUCTION

11 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

12 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

13 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

14 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

15 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

16 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following null hypothesis was formulated for the study to be tested 005 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

17 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: 620N 7⁰00E with a total Area of 4,844km ² (1870semi) population (2006 census) 4,055048 (Anambra State-Wikipedia)

18 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)

* Embodied Energy: 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)