AN EVALUATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT LEAD TO ABANDONMENT OF PUBLIC BUILDING PROJECTS

(A CASE STUDY OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA)

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Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
The successful implementation of building projects may be impaired without a good knowledge of the environmental factors that contribute to building projects abandonment and this abandonment makes it difficult to achieve the benefit to be derived from the projects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the environmental factors that lead to abandonment of public building projects, with a view to proffering solutions to public building projects abandonments in Abuja . The study identifies the characteristics of abandoned public building projects, examine the environmental factors that are responsible for public building projects abandonment and also assess the effects of public building projects abandonment on the environment. The research adopted the quantitative method in which the checklist was developed to obtain the inventory of abandoned public building projects in Abuja. A structured questionnaire was also designed and administered to the in-house consultants of the F.C.D.A. Data was analyzed using statistical tools like Means, Percentages and Relative Importance Index (RII) and presented using Charts and Tables. The study revealed that 67% of the public building projects are abandoned after the contract period has elapsed. It also revealed that lack of funds constitute about 50% of the factors affecting completion as well as none of the abandoned public building projects achieved 50% completion. The study found that inadequate working capital is the highest ranked factor among the other environmental factors with a RII of 0.87. The study also revealed that cost overrun is the most significant effect of abandonment of public building projects with a RII of 0.81. The research concluded that the inadequate working capital, importation of materials and equipments, instability in governance, type of contract, civil conflicts and unexpected geological condition are the environmental factors that contribute largely and immensely to the abandonment of public building projects. The research recommends that there should be proper cost analysis of the project to be embarked upon.