INTRODUCTION
Most
of the problems of the new millennium facing man today are those of Ecology,
overpopulation, deterioration of the habitat, pollution of the air and water,
radio active emissions and sprawling urbanisation. Thus, natural habitats are
destroyed and replaced with ecological bare areas.
Basic community structures and
natural vegetation give way to man made systems thus industrialisation and
urbanisation have been undertaken with little or no consideration of their
impacts on earth’s ecology. From every available statistics and past records,
it has been observed that every action of man on the environment, bring about
definite physical alteration of adverse proportions around his surroundings
which could be physical, economical, social or psychological.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The
concepts of sustainable development has long been conceived as “an attempt to meet the needs of the present
generation without compromising the ability of future generation in meeting
their own needs.” The art of Building is an act of land destruction,
sustainability will therefore entail improvement of the ecological health of
land which may include revival of the most devastated slums, old parks and
markets, abandoned old mines , fishing spots, farm settlements, urban and rural
infrastructure.
“AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTS” Sustainable development focuses mainly on “Environment and People” and it is “Profit Oriented” It is therefore a concept built on the tripod of “Effective Environmental Management” “Social Responsibility” and Economic Prosperity”. These three pillars of sustainable development must not function in isolation, rather they must balance in all spheres of development in order to guarantee sustainability. Achieving sustainable development objective should be a collective responsibility of all:- government at all levels, developers, professionals, non-governmental organisations, stakeholders and host communities.
Hence, for effective environmental management, this paper aims:–
·
To identify
sources of developmental impact on the built environment
·
To identify
the general effect of the impact on the built environment and on communities at
close proximity to the developmental activities.
·
To
recommend the necessary ameliorating measures to be taken to reduce or totally
eliminate the effect of the impact
For
Social Responsibility: The paper aims:-
·
To propose
measures to be adopted by developer and the business community in respect of
their activities on the built environment including the provision of social
infrastructure.
·
To communicate result oriented facts and
findings to decision makers and the general public for incorporation for future
development.
For
Economic Prosperity:
The paper aims:-
·
To suggest
ways of incorporating all developmental activities to fall in line with
National Economic plans and
·
To adopt
appropriate Land Use Technology.
SOURCES OF DEVELOPMENTAL IMPACT ON THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT:
The main impact
of developmental activities on the built environment is pollution. The sources
have been identified to includes:-
-
Rapid
Urbanisation – (overpopulation)
-
Industrial
Production/Industrial Emissions, (Manufacturing, Vehicular
emissions, mining activities crude oil exploration and refining, activities,
oil spillage etc.)
-
Agricultural
production: (Use of Pesticides, Bush Burning, Land degradation.
Tree cutting).
-
Deforestation
(Cutting of trees, lumbering).
-
Desertification
– (desert encroachment)
-
Waste
disposal – (domestic and industrial wastes.)
-
Natural
occurrences – (floods, erosion, earthquakes, rise in sea level,
landslide).
Rapid
Urbanisation: The major
problems of rapid urbanisation especially in Nigeria
Rapid growth in industries,
transportation, oil exploration, and mining activities sprang alongside urban
development. The cumulative effects of
these developments include, population explosion, hunger, inadequate housing
urban poverty and conflicts and total decline of matters that have great
influence on ecological efficiency.
Industrial
Production: The pollution of the air environment and other human
activities has degraded air quality with adverse effect on public health and
welfare. The main pollutants from these activities include carbondioxide,
nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogendioxide, sulphurdioxide, hydrocarbons,
(CFCs), cement kiln dust, petrochemical compounds, unleaded gasoline, and
totally suspended particulates. Part of
the sustainable culture should aim at maintaining or preserving the gaseous
elements in its natural or pure
state.
The
Federal Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1988 in respect of
environmental impact. The Agency drafted
laws and guideline to combat the effects of pollution on our environments, the
enforcement of these laws has not been very effective. Atmospheric pollution is manifested mainly by
gas flaring by oil companies operating in the Niger Delta areas of Nigeria
Agricultural Production: Agricultural lands adjacent to
developing urban areas are sometimes subjected
to pressure and intensity of land use. Bush burning is a phenomenon
associated with local farming and hunting. The potentialities for biological
disequilibrium between cities and their surroundings get compounded.
Deforestation: Destruction
of the Rain Forest and Mangroove Habitat: The rain forest reserves and Mangroove Wetlands habitats have been
drained, some destroyed for agricultural plantations, roads, bridges, canals,
construction. We have witnessed uncontrolled logging and search for firewood. By the rural people, our State Governments
did not help matters either. In their bid to embark on Mass housing schemes
many Forest Reserves and Zoological gardens gave way to housing estates. Before the beginning of the rainy season
many forests are cleared and burnt in preparation for the planting season for
cash crops. The burning of the tropical
rain forest has its attendant consequences, large amount of carbon dioxide are
released into the atmosphere. The amount of vegetation to absorb this greenhouse
gas by the process of photosynthesis is actually lost.
Desertification: This a process by which the fertility of
soil is totally lost to the extent that it could no longer withstand plant growth giving room
for desert encroachment.
Waste Disposal: This includes solid and liquid waste products
from manufacturing and packaging industries such as polythene bags, bottles,
plastics etc. that litter our streets and surroundings.
THE
EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENTAL IMPACT ON THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND ON HOST
COMMUNITIES.
For rapid urbanisation: The major
effect of rapid urbanisation is overpopulation. It leads to the problems of
urban povertys inadequate housing unemployment, drug addiction, lack of basic
hygiene, slum proliferation, lack of basic infrastructure such as water,
electricity, good roads etc.
For Agricultural Production:: The effects include destruction of micro
organisms enriching the soil fertility including micro and macro elements by
the use of chemical compounds called pesticides chiefly DDT.
Acid Rain resulting
from carbon dioxide emission from bush burning with its attendants effect such
as corrosion on roof tops, destruction of terretial and aquatic life. Bush
Burning also causes smoky obstruction of visibility along major roads, and
visual elements of urban environment.
For industrial production, The
effects are numerous; they include –
Restriction of Biological Growth, There are
substantial biospheric imbalance formed as a result of industrial pollutants
and microhabitats present in concretes and bricks which are found to restrict
plant growth or prevent its growth entirely.
Climatic Modification:
Inadvertent modification of climate around cities results the restriction of
plant growth. The overall production of photosynthetic materials per unit area
is greatly reduced below normal values.
This leads to the emergence of urban climates whose atmosphere has
greatly reduced the overall value of the amount of oxygen and
carbondioxide. The frequency of bright
sunshine, cloud, good visibility and precipitation are generally different from
the surrounding regions.
EFFECTIVE
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
For effective environmental management:
the following actions must be put in place
-
carrying
out, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for all new schemes or projects in
accordance with the laid down rules and regulations by regulating organs of
government.
-
Environmental
Evolution Review (EER) of existing facilities followed by Environmental
Management Plan with the objective of identifying interface for complete
lifecycle management.
-
Carrying
Site Impact Assessment (SIA) and Health Impact Assessment (HIA) along with EER
studies.
-
Routine
Monitoring of environmental status in all areas of developmental activities or
areas of operation.
-
Engage,
consult and work in partnership with relevant governmental agencies and
non-governmental oragnization (NGOs) in environmental management with objective
of displaying transparency and trust.
-
Consultation
with relevant stakeholders through dialogue, workshop, conferences seminars and
meetings.
Waste
Management
For
effective waste management, the following actions need to be put in place:
-
Ensuring
gas-flay out status for all oil producing companies in Nigeria or in
alternative supply all the associated gas to other industries that require
them.
-
Minimising
generation of all waste or total elimination by recycling or by compulsory
installation of incinerators or waste recycling.
Oil
Spillage Management
The
basic action to take is to upgrade flowlines facilities or total determent.
Ozone Depleting Substances Management: Avoid or minimise the application of ozone
depleting substances such as CFCs and HCFCs or apply the proper disposal method
such as deep burial in areas of stable geological formation.
Social Responsibility
For social
responsibility – There will be need for public consultations in developmental
schemes taking place within their communities.
This is necessary because such schemes may constitute a nuisance to
their communal life which is an infringement on their basic human right and to
their natural environment. Public consultation may bring a forum for conflict
resolution and foster a spirit of understanding and co-operation between
developers, stakeholders and host communities.
To avoid conflicts, developers must engage in community development
programmes. Consultation, with host
community for the establishment of sustainable development projects. These
projects may include:- improved agricultural development, basic water and
sanitation, education , business development, women development, programmes,
health facilities, physical infrastructure such as hospitals, roads, and rural
electrification projects.
The
rural people should be encouraged to grow shade trees, and high yielding
variety of food crops and to check fuel wood they should be encouraged to adopt
to the use of fuel – efficient cooking stove.
Economic Prosperity
Ensuring
that all projects give support in the development of National Economic plans
such as vision 2010 at state, regional and national levels. Appropriate land
use systems that determines, the best use of land resources, research
methodology that improve fisheries, reforestation, poultry etc. Provision
should be made for social infrastructures, economic empowerment and indigenous
capacity building, poverty alleviation, community assistance form of civil
infrastructure such as roads, bridges, market stalls, civic centers, and town
halls. Provision of micro credit schemes for rural women.
POLLUTION
CONTROL
Pollution
exists in two levels: At one level it is self-inflicted by man, and can be
controlled by careful disposal of waste products. At the other end the
pollutant effects of production process particularly in agriculture, industry
manufacturing is so widespread that control can only be imposed by legislation.
There will
be need for substitution of problematic and harmful material by the infusion of
cleaner technologies and manufacture of non-toxic products and the efficient
use and reuse of materials, coupled with organised city – planning – a city
where buildings are organised and designed to use solar energy power, cars are
powered by solar energy or hydrogen in order to pollute less, green spaces
preserved, and expanded recycling
schemes promoted and environmentally friendly buildings designed and modified
to suit microclimates.
NEW
PROPOSALS
There is need for adequate environmental
planning and urban management in order to ensure sustainability. This will be
achieved by
-
Creating
environmentally friendly project in the urban setting.
-
Creating
green cities with energy efficient buildings
-
Addressing
the issue of rapid urbanisation to reduce the problem of overpopulation.
Provision of health centres water schemes such as boreholds to provide water
affordable to all.
-
There will
be need to promote adequate waste collection and disposal systems such as
recycling, incineration or deep burial.
-
Provision
of educational support programmes, scholarship and youth training programmes,
agricultural redevelopment, extension and advisory services, Refined, fishery,
poultry, piggery, snail breeding in the agric sector.
-
Carrying
out environmental impact Assessment and obtaining regulatory approvals of these
for major projects.
-
Adopting
zero-omission culture and standards.
-
Generating
less waste and encourage recycling schemes.
-
Adopting
green culture through tree planting and protection of greenbelts, parks,
zoological, gardens, artificial lakes, ponds, and fountains, in order to
control the ‘Heat Island Effect’ and rehabilitation of natural habitats.
-
Organisation
of Awareness campaign through conferences, workshops, in order to provide
guidelines on how communities can undertake, environmental protection
activities.
Incorporating
environmental education in the school curriculum.
There will
be need for participation of national and international agencies, national and
non-governmental organisations companies and their department who are
responsible for urban and housing development.
Development
must be done with comparison and social conscience putting into consideration
the culture and needs of the people directly affected by the impact of the
schemes and to engage them on decision affecting their well being.
There will
be need for good urban governance, civil discipline and engagement of
intersectional, co-ordination, community spirit and innovations to clean our
urban areas.
There will
be need to formulate opportunities for easy access to urban basic services
including health, nutrition, education, water sanitation and shelter.
There will
be need to create parks, open spaces,
golf courses, vacant land and low density residential areas to make up the
majority of the terrestrial habitats, for plants and wildlife. We must explore ways physical environment can
be redesigned to reduce stress, increase creativity, improve health, increase
safety and support people’s welfare.
Role
of Architects in New Proposals for Sustainable Development
Development of “Greenways”: This is done to support urban diversity and
Biodiveristy, because of its importance in urban setting. Biodiveristy relates to the number and
frequency of habitat types that is the number of animal and plant species
present.
Flood Control Theory: This is
focused on setting excess water down the storm drains and out to the sea as
fast as possible and adopt a policy of zero tolerance for any new project storm
for run-off.
Creation of Nature
Gardens
The need for Educational Reform: The
UIA, CAA, AUA, NIA an RIBA must work in collaboration for the regulation of
practice of Architecture and the updating of the standard of Architectural
education to have relevance against the background of globalisation and
sustainable principles for future designs.
Urban Planning and Housing Polices: Part of the programmes for Annual Conferences
and debates on Housing Urbanisation and population growth should involve the
participation of government departments, national and international
organisations and law makers responsible for urban and housing developmental
control, so as to influence the policies they formulate for the people, and the
environment.
Public Enlightenment Campaign:
We must work in collaboration with the people in our new designs and proposals
concerning their environment in the context of local content and global
awareness. This can be achieved through public enlightenment, by electronic
media.
Information Technology: Part of
the training in Architectural education must include basic computer knowledge
such as web browsing, e-mail, multimedia access points etc. Information helps
to improve the capacity of educational institutions to exchange ideas globally
and make decision that will affect their environment.
Budgetary Cost for Projects: Budgetary Cost for projects should include
cost for related and anticipated environmental damage. Finance for
Environmental Studies and Research must be given priority attention in National
Planning.
Research on Energy
Efficient Building
-
Climatic
control through building form
-
Local
available and affordable materials
-
Solar
energy utilisation in building
-
Natural
ventilation
-
Building
layout configuration
-
Shading
devices
-
Other
renewable energy sources such as wind energy (wind mills) botanic energy,
hydro-electric, marine energy from tidal waves etc.
CONCLUSION
There
will need to develop these natural energy sources and supply the new generation
on a non-profit making bases. The new trends will include conversion of motor
vehicles to run on gas or solar the fermentation of manure, sewage energy and
vegetable waste to make methane gas for cooking.
New priorities
should aim at a shift towards life-saving proposals. These can be achieved by use of the most
abundant of local materials or those materials whose production seems to cause
less damage to the environment.
We must
learn to build simply with few materials as possible and permanently too by
building houses that are capable of lasting between one hundred and two hundred
years.
We
must learn to build naturally by developing projects that are capable of
creating Clean air, (by
incorporating trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, wildflowers) Clean water,
(by provision of slow run-offs percolations). Rich soil (by provision of
mulch, compost etc), Silence (by dense plantings, sound insulation,
zoning etc) Use and store solar energy (by provision of
photovoltaic, radiation for generating sets, machineries and appliances) By
waste consumption System and or recyling) and living organically. Self
maintenance process (by provision of permanent materials, earth cover, good
waterproofing. Provide human habitat, moderate climate, and weather (by
provision of wind breakers, dense groves of native plants). We must build
beautifully and personally by provision of nest like houses like other animals
in the ecosystem such as bees, ants, birds and termites, that is we must build
with our bare hands as much as possible. Let us then return back to the “Garden
of Eden” in search of “Paradise Lost” stemming first from appreciation of
nature, climate, culture, local materials and appropriate technologies for our
local construction industries.
REFERENCES
1.
Sustainable Finance for the
Poor, World Bank, 2001.
2.
Eliminating World Poverty, A
Challenge of the 21st Century DFID, 1997.
3.
United Nations Committee on
Environment Report 1999. Page. 3
4.
M.T. Okorodudu – Fubara
“Dynamics of a New World Environmental Legal Order, 1999 Obefemi Awolowo
University
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