POTENTIALS OF WOOD AS A SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
MATERIAL IN NIGERIA
Bashir, F.M.1*, Mohd H.A.2, Adetunji A.B.3 and Dodo Y.A.4
1&4Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Johor-Bahru, Malaysia.
2Institute Sultan Iskandar Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Johor-Bahru, Malaysia.
1&3Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Johor-Bahru, Malaysia.
E-mail: faizahbash@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Emphasis on how to strategize the adaptation of developmental policies into the mainstreamed of Vision 2020:20 as propose by Nigerian Government, with the building sector having a greater potential to reduce CO2 emission. Currently 40% of global resource consumption is as a result of building construction. The main goal is to optimize the environment performance of a building using a life cycle approach, in which most green building rating system are also trying to adopt and incorporate as well. Through a literature review of life cycles of various construction materials, it shows that solid wood is a very energy efficient raw material. Solid wood processing is environmentally friendly and should be relatively free of pollution. The energy efficiency of wood was confirmed that solid wood building products are ten to thirty times as energy efficient as the equivalent non-wood substitutes (steel, concrete, etc.). The paper conclude by emphasising on the need for creating awareness and establishing policies that would encourage the use of wood as a sustainable building materials against non-wood substitutes in Nigeria in order to continue greening the earth.