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Physical Conditions Of Buildings As Predictor Of Housing Quality In Imo State Housing Corporation Estates In Owerri, Nigeria
Get PDFThe condition of housing has been identified as a vital determining factor for the habitability of buildings as it indicates the level of residents\u27 well-being and safety. Also, poor quality housing has been noted as being not only hazardous to their occupants\u27 health and welfare but also a limiting agent to their output and productivity. As such, this study investigated the effects of housing conditions on housing quality in Imo State Housing Corporation (IMSHC) estates in Owerri Capital Territory, Imo State Nigeria, with the view to providing feedback criteria for improved housing quality in the study area. The specific objective was to investigate the effect of the physical conditions of building units on housing quality in the IMSHC estates. A survey design method was applied with a focus on five IMSHC estates. These were randomly selected from the research population following a stratification based on housing type. Three hundred and five occupied housing units were randomly sampled from the selected estates. Data was collected from these using questionnaires. Several variables (\u27state of floor finish\u27, \u27state of repair of external walls\u27 and \u27state of repair of the roof’) were combined to create a composite variable: ‘Physical conditions of building units. Similarly, the variables, ‘Protection against insects and pests’, ‘Natural ventilation in the sitting room and bedrooms,’ ‘Natural lighting in the sitting room and bedrooms’, ‘Good toilet and bathroom facilities’, ‘Waste disposal facilities’, ‘External lighting in the estate’, ‘Adequacy of road network within the estate’ were also combined to obtain the variable \u27Housing quality\u27. Because both composite variables were interval variables, the Pearson Product Moment correlation tool was used to test the significance of their relationship. It was established that there is a significant relationship between the physical conditions of building units and the housing quality in the study area. It is recommended that the IMSHC should make the maintenance of good physical conditions of the building units a priority to achieve good housing quality. IMSHC whose duty is to maintain the housing estates should ensure that they sustain good conditions of the building units. This can be achieved in collaboration with the residents of the estates, to preserve the visual appeal of the estates and wellbeing of the residents
Redressing The Recreational Land Deficit In Benin City: The Opportunity And Potential In Iyaro-Urubi
Get PDFUrban planning affords cities the opportunity of accommodating all land needs for living, working and recreation. This helps to promote environmental sustainability and urban liveability. The apparent under-provision of recreational land use in Benin City, one of Nigeria’s most populated urban centres, suggests a shortcoming in the spatial configuration. A redress is important under the present conditions of climate change particularly because research reveals that the city is challenged by inadequate greening and open spaces. One possible strategy for redress is to utilise every available opportunity such as identified by this study in the 0.92-hectare parcel of land at Iyaro-Urubi. The site allows Benin City to create the first recreational park in that location. Primary and secondary methods are used in the study. The city’s recreational land need is established by reference to planning practice in established jurisdictions whilst residents’ perceptions were sought using a questionnaire survey on the related issues of the adequacy of recreational land provision in the city; whether or not more space is needed; and whether or not the study location is better suited for recreational use. The findings indicate a great inadequacy of and need for recreational land space. Furthermore, respondents mainly agree that recreation is a greater need at the current time in that location. Again, new recreational space has not been provided since the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals call for the creation of "inclusive, accessible, green and public open spaces" by Goal 11.7 on sustainable cities and societies. The study concludes that Iyaro-Urubi possesses the potential to serve, and would better serve, recreational purposes because it is located in a deficient area; where there is a need and where land of such a size is not easily available
Effect Of Corn Cob Ash And Locust Bean Pod Ash On The Mechanical Properties Of Concrete
Get PDFThe Portland cement production is a highly energy-intensive process and the current trend in concrete research is towards finding alternative materials that can partially or fully replace cement. Supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) are important in producing high-strength and high-performance concrete. This study aims to investigate the effect of corn cob ash and locust bean pod ash on the mechanical properties of concrete. The concrete mix of 1:2:4 and a water cement ratio of 0.5 was blended with 5–30% pozzolanic materials individually and combined, and the concrete cured at 7, 14, 28 and 56 days. The specific gravity of Corn cob ash (CCA) and (Locust Bean Pod Ash) LBPA is 2.25 and 2.33 respectively. Corn cob ash and locust bean pod ash are pozzolanic material having satisfied the requirement of ASTM C618-05. It is observed that the workability of fresh concrete is reduced as the dosages of CCA and LBPA increase in the mixture. Moreover, the compressive and flexural strengths at 10% of CCA or CCA/LBPA gave similar strength with the control concrete, at 28 and 56 days respectively. Furthermore, the density and water absorption of concrete were reduced with increasing percentage of CCA and LBPA in concrete. It can be concluded that 10% CCA and LBPA as replacement of cement, results in improved performance of concrete. The research recommends that 10% CCA and LBPA as cement replacement individually or in the blend are the optimum percentages for structural applications which will lead to strong and quality concrete, and also help reduce the use of cement
Quality Assessment Of Some Groundwater Within Automobile Workshops In Ihiala Council Area Of Anambra State Nigeria
Get PDFThe pollution index of groundwater (borehole water) within the vicinity of automobile workshops from selected communities in the Ihiala council area was investigated. Ihiala council area is an exit and entry route to the Eastern States of Nigeria, thus witnessing an influx of vehicles daily, an attribute that boosts automobile workshops enterprise. An increase in automobile workshop enterprises within residential areas necessitates the need to investigate underground water quality in the council area. The study was carried out by collecting 10 borehole water samples from three communities in the council area with a control sample using systematic (composite) sampling techniques. Physicochemical, volatile organic carbons (VOCs) and inorganic compositions of the borehole water samples were analyzed. Data was analyzed using the appropriate statistical technique of Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22.00. Wilks’ Lambda showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in physicochemical compositions of borehole water samples across the various studied communities: Wilks’ Lambda=0.000, F(14,2)=9.84, p=0.096. Using a one-sample T-test, VOCs in the borehole water samples were found to be significant (p<0.05) within acceptable limits and there were significantly increasing levels (p<0.05) of acidity, alkalinity, hardness, turbidity, Iron, Cobalt, Zinc, Manganese, Chromium, and hydrocarbons when compared with the control water sample. However, the concentrations of TDS and Mn varied across the studied communities. The study echoed the growing concern about the quality of groundwater located within automobile workshop vicinities. Hence, improper disposal of automobile wastes demands attention to protect the environment and groundwater sources. The study recommends a keen consideration of sitting boreholes during development and exposing automobile workshop operators to integrated waste management. Also, automobile workshops should be assessed regularly to ensure compliance with environmental regulations relevant to the industry
The Influence Of Cognitive Attributes And Entrepreneurial Event Parameters On Architecture Students\u27 Entrepreneurial Self-Employment Intention
Get PDFThe 21st-century economy needs creative, imaginative, and enterprising architects as graduate unemployment rises progressively. The primary goal of integrating entrepreneurial education into Nigerian higher education institutions is to produce graduates who create jobs rather than seek them out; nevertheless, it is uncertain if this initiative has achieved its intended purpose in all fields of study at some universities. In this context, this study used the theory of planned behaviour and entrepreneurial orientation perspective of the service-based ideology to evaluate how architecture students\u27 cognitive attributes (attitude, perceived behaviour control and subjective norms) and entrepreneurial event parameters (attitudes towards commercial awareness, perceived value creation, and societal factors) influenced their intention to pursue self-employment upon graduation following their participation in a course on entrepreneurship. Using information gathered from 239 architecture students at Ahmadu Bello University in the Department of Architecture, six hypotheses were formulated and tested with the data collected from the students. The research\u27s findings showed that while subjective norms and societal factors have no apparent effect, attitude, perceived behaviour control, attitudes towards enterprise awareness and perceived value creation were strong predictors of architecture students\u27 intention toward self-employment. Additionally, attitudes toward enterprise awareness are more positively significant and have a greater influence. The research\u27s conclusions might have a footprint on educational policy, stakeholders in the architectural education field, and, notably, the transformation of generalist entrepreneurial education into a professional-based (specialist) education for enterprises
Evaluation Of Tenant Satisfaction With Service Charge Administration In Jabi Lake Shopping Mall Abuja, Nigeria
Get PDFFor the maintenance of shared services that each tenant might not have been responsible for, a service charge is money that is allotted to each tenant in a building with many residents such as a block of flats, tenement or shopping Mall. Tenant and landlord friction develops from such a charge. This study evaluated how happy the tenants were with how service charges were handled at the Jabi Lake Shopping Mall in Abuja, Nigeria. The study area had 120 occupants. Survey design was the methodology used. The quantitative technique was used the Krejcie and Morgan table was used to determine the sample size. 92 questionnaires were distributed and 80 were retrieved. Simple random sampling was the sampling method. The level of tenant satisfaction with the management of service charges was examined using a mean ranking. The study found that the Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja has a modest level of service charge administration. The tenant expressed great satisfaction with how tidy the communal areas were and this has the highest ranking mean of 1.49. The study recommended that property owners should give tenants enough information about paying service charges before renting out a unit. Information omissions ought not to be accepted and formal complaints processes should be in place
Comparative Analysis Of Factors Influence Ing Occupancy Ratio And Rental Value Of High- And Low-Rise Buildings In Kaduna
Get PDFThe study examines the factors influencing the occupancy ratio and rental value of high-rise and low-rise buildings in the Kaduna metropolis of Nigeria. A quantitative approach was adopted with questionnaires administered to thirty-five registered estate surveyor firms in the study area with purposive sampling techniques used to identify firms managing both low- and high-rise buildings. Thirty of the administered questionnaires were returned valid for analysis showing an 85.7% success rate. With the aid of a five-point Likert scale analysed with average mean and relative importance index (RII), findings revealed that the non-provision of elevators was ranked highest among the factors influencing rental values of high-rise buildings with 0.77 RII value while that of low-rise building was found to be population/demand with 0.71 RII. Also revealed by the study is an upward trajectory of rental values for both high and low-rise buildings; although, low-rise buildings commanded a higher rental value when compared to high-rise buildings. With a similar RII value of 0.80, location influences the occupancy ratio of high-rise buildings while individual preferences do for low-rise buildings. The study, therefore, concludes by recommending that investors and stakeholders in the housing sector should intensify regulation and supervision of high-rise building constructions to ensure adherence to sound structural design and execution on-site alongside the provision of basic facilities like emergency exits, fire extinguishing systems and elevators to further enhance the rental values and eventual return on investment
A Comparative Analysis Of Subjective Thermal Comfort Perception In Selected Residential Building Typologies In Jos-Nigeria
Get PDFThe principle applied in the design and construction of the residential building\u27s envelope influences its thermal performance and occupants\u27 thermal satisfaction level. This study examined the design and material ensemble of existing residential buildings in Jos and assessed the level of thermal satisfaction of their occupants. The study was carried out in two seasons that is dry season and rainy season. The study involved post occupancy thermal comfort survey of households and physical measurement of thermal parameters, with subjective and objective data obtained respectively. Two building typologies were selected for the thermal comfort survey and 80 respondents who were occupants of these two building types, (a 3-bedroom bungalow and 4-bedroom duplex at the University of Jos Senior Staff Quarters) responded to the questionnaire administered. ASHRAE’s Standard 55 and European Standard EN 15251 which adopted the thermal comfort model by Fanger were used as voting scales. The subjective data obtained from the occupant survey were analysed using SPSS Statistics version 21, while the subjective data were analysed using tables. Findings reveal that the main determinants of Occupants\u27 thermal comfort are air temperature, relative humidity, radiant temperature, and construction material/ensemble. The replies from the occupants revealed that the building\u27s design, materials, and overall composition have an impact on these parameters, as seen by the marginal variations in heat perception between the occupants of the four-bedroom duplex and the three-bedroom cottage. This situation is clearly due to the differences in the design and material ensemble of the two building types. However, by using thoughtful design techniques and selecting and applying materials carefully, it is possible to improve the thermal conditions in the two types of buildings
Air Pollution Load Assessment In The Residential Land-Use Types In Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
Get PDFAir pollution continues to be a challenge in the world and the consequences of it are more in developing countries, due to the use of fossil fuels, generators, bad domestic fuel sources and infrequent pollution monitoring. This study investigated the pollutant load across different residential areas in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. A longitudinal research design was deployed for the study. Multi-gas detectors were used to collect pollutant readings at a height of 4 feet above ground level across the study area. The data was collected daily for 12 months from January to December 2023. The stated hypothesis "there is no significant spatial variation in atmospheric pollutants in Asaba", was tested using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The study found that the pollutants increased from the low-density to the high-density areas. There was also a seasonal difference in pollutants amount across the residential areas. The computations of ANOVA models showed that there were statistically significant differences in the means of CO ppm P<0.05 (F=12.3123, sig = 0.00); NO2 P<0.05(F=15.1223, sig=0.03); O3 P<0.05(F=10.1021, sig = 0.05); PM2.5 P<0.05 (F=10.5231, sig = 0.04) and PM10 P<0.05 (F=6.4331 sig = 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in SO2 P>0.05(F=1.3001, sig = 0.10) in the residential areas. Investment in renewable energy and planting of trees and green spaces were among the recommendations of the study
Addressing The Physical Environmental Stressors In Nigerian General Hospitals To Facilitate Patient Care, Well-Being And Effectiveness Of Healthcare Givers
Get PDFThe current trend of healthcare design has now gone beyond providing spaces for the treatment of ailments and functional efficiency, but providing a hospital environment that is supportive in nature to healthcare outcomes through evidence-based design. Stress, as a common experience in healthcare settings, is found to be a burden to clinical staff, patients, as well as their families, and the hospital\u27s physical environment is found to be one of the causes of this phenomenon. Despite the tendencies of the healthcare environment to worsen or reduce stress, very little attention has been paid to its role in causing stress in Nigeria. In this regard, this research is aimed at addressing the environmental stressors in healthcare designs in general hospitals. This was achieved by exploring the stressors themselves and their effects in four (4) general hospitals in Kaduna State, in February 2021 through interview and observation. Twenty-four healthcare personnel involving nurses and doctors were interviewed at the purposively sampled hospitals: Hajiya Gambo Sawaba, Giwa, Kauru and Sarkin Maska Shehu in Funtua. The data was analysed using content analysis and found that environmental stressors were more ambient and facility layout-related. It was also found that there was a less conscious attempt to use stress-reducing measures in minimising stress on the users. Therefore, it becomes pertinent to use design strategies and elements inherent in stress-relieving effects to minimise stress in future designs of general hospitals in the country.