Assessment of Awareness of Architects on Sustainable Building Materials in Minna, Nigeria

Abstract

Sustainability is so important that both the MDGs and SDGs as United Nations development initiatives have listed it as a vital component. Non-sustainable practices lead to depletion and destruction of the environment with consequences that are still being understood. This could even get worst if professionals in the Building industry do not key into the sustainability initiative. Architects, as professionals in the built environment, take the most important decisions as far as the design and construction of buildings are concerned. Their awareness and knowledge of sustainable building materials is very important in solving this emerging problem. This study is aimed at evaluating the level of awareness of Architects on sustainable Building Materials. This is measured by looking at the knowledge, specification and application of sustainable building materials. The study was qualitative hence; data was obtained through a six-item structured schedule of interview. A total of 18 registered Architects were purposively selected for the study. The results obtained showed that as we get close to two decades since international attention has been drawn to sustainability, there is still a low level of awareness and knowledge of sustainable building materials among Architects. The study also revealed that Architects sometimes do not like pushing boundaries out of their comfort zones as far as specification writing is involved. In conclusion, the study recommended the updating of building bye-laws of the state, intending to make the Architects update their knowledge of sustainable Building Materials as a result of the more regular application in their designs.