Sustainable  Building  Materials  Constituents, Preparation  and  Application -A Survey

Dr. Ferdinand F.O. Daminabo, Umo, Unyime Uduak [PhD student]

ABSTRACT

The significance of a healthy and thriving housing sector and housing stock of any country is in the availability of sustainable and cheap building materials on all fronts of building construction as well as creating new material systems that have minimal impact on the environment and ecosystem. The prevailing trend globally is to source less polluting materials locally and mostly recyclable at the end of life. However, this will grossly depend on the material constituents, preparations and application with issues of embodied energy through their production processes, transportation and use especially during the construction phase in pursuit of a thriving housing sector. Passive strategies of massing, orientation, operational energy and occupants’ wellbeing have always been a key part of sustainable design. Buildings using less materials and those with less embodied carbon and material efficiency should be the panacea; however, converting policy to action starts with government perspective informed by that of the industry many sectors or by general public’s needs and desires. This requires that government drive the legislation aligned with regulation, assessment procedures, incentives, funding initiatives and training programs with an industry that is aware. This paper will focus on a survey of sustainable building material constituents, their preparation and application as it pertains to a sustainable housing sector and material usage.

Keywords: Building Materials, Housing, Sustainability

Evaluation of Adobe Brick As A Sustainable Building Material

Dr. Ferdinand F.O. Daminabo, Osamor, Stanley Nwabueze, [PhD student]

ABSTRACT

Adobe brick made from earth and water, offers numerous environmental benefits, including reduced carbon footprints, an effective thermal mass, and highbrow recyclability. With the growing need for environmentally friendly, sustainable and cost-effective buildings, adobe offers an alternative to conventional building materials that are often expensive and energy- intensive. This research work evaluates the viability and suitability of adobe brick as a sustainable building material. This paper probes the environmental, economic, and structural benefits of adobe, considering its potentials to address the innovative use of local building materials hence promoting local material options. The physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of adobe brick other sustainable effects in the built environment will come into a sharp focus in the face of global warming and the attendant risks. The findings will contribute to the development of Sustainable Architecture intrinsic building practices in Nigeria, offering recommendations for enhancing the durability and broader adoption of adobe in Modern Architecture and construction.

Keywords: Adobe bricks sustainable building, climate adaptability, local materials, innovative use of local building material