INTEGRATION OF ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES IN MIXED USE BUILDING DESIGN FOR AKURE, ONDO STATE

ABSTRACT

Mixed-use buildings are characterized by their live-work-play concept ensuring that most activities are achieved within a particular site. Despite their numerous benefits, they experience a wide range of problems including high energy consumption, it is therefore vital that energy conservation measures are employed in such buildings. This study  investigated  the  integration  of  energy  conservation  measures  in  mixed-use building design in Akure, Ondo state. Data was collected through the exploration of academic research repositories using the key terms: energy conservation, sustainable design and mixed-use buildings, this data formed a part of the variables that the researcher termed as “general measures of energy conservation”, the researcher then employed  the  use  of  energy  calculation  software;  Climate  consultant,  to  generate specific  measures  for  energy  conservation  in  the  study  area  and  termed  the  data “specific measures of energy conservation”, these two data types formed the variables that were used in this research. Data was also collected with the use of observation schedule, checklist, and audio-visual aids by the researcher from the field after a sample size of 5 mixed-use buildings were carefully selected in Akure, Ondo state. The data was analysed using content analysis after careful documentation. The findings of the research showed that 100% of the samples observed integrated energy conservation measures in some degree in their building design, however, specific energy conservation measures were only integrated in 1/5 (20%) of the buildings at a moderate level of adoption (55%), general energy conservation measures were more predominant and were adopted by 4/5 (80%) of the samples on an average of 30%. Therefore, it was evident that even though the structures had some degree of energy conservation measures integrated, they were minimal and not specific for the climate the buildings were located. The paper suggests the use of energy calculation software by architects to aid in the design of energy conservative buildings and the establishment of laws and standards on the sustainable design of buildings to aid in promoting the construction of more buildings integrated with energy conservation measures.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

A mixed-use building combines multiple facilities, either in a single building (vertically or horizontally) or various buildings of varying uses within a designated site (Niemira,2007). It is also referred to as developing a modern city block or building structure that functionally and physically combines varying services in the exact location (Narvaez & Penn, 2016). Mixed-used buildings were the norm in early development days before the onset of zoning brought about a break in the facilities for several functions in 1910-1950. However, in the 1960s, a need for urban revitalisation came up, and mixed-use development was the tool used to achieve it. Mixed-used buildings are identified by two or more revenue-generating facilities, Functional interaction of its components, Physical integration, and Conformance to a wholistic plan (Narvaez & Penn, 2016).

Energy conservation is  the act of reducing the rate of energy consumption by the reduction in the usage of an energy source or service (Ramya, 2015). Energy-sage (2021),  says that energy conservation is the practice of using less energy in order to lower costs and reduce environmental impact. There are basic measures that have been established to conserve energy in all building forms and varying climates. However, for efficiency, energy conservative practices must be streamlined to building types, use and regions.  40%  of  the  global  energy  use  comes  from  buildings,  and  this  is  mainly generated by fossil fuels and comes from the residential sector, closely followed by the commercial sector. Therefore, if the energy requirement and use in buildings are not reduced, the implications will be disastrous (Kujur, 2016).

Mixed-use buildings are often characterised with a live-work-play model, having a combination of residential apartments and shopping complexes as one of the primary functions, with others serving as additional facilities (Anunobi et al., 2015). Mixed-use buildings, therefore, consume more energy than single-use buildings as it integrates the leading facilities responsible for the bulk of energy consumed in the building sector. Thus, there is a need to reduce the amount of energy consumed by them. The potential conservation of energy within the built-up industry will substantially add to a decrease in the amount of energy consumed worldwide (Kujur, 2016).

1.2 Justification of Research

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2007), states that, unless the present movements in the world are not transformed, by 2030, the rate of the world’s energy Use will undoubtedly surge by 53%, having 80% of this energy been generated by fossil fuels, which will, in turn, increase CO2 productions. Nigeria, a developing  country,  uses  more  energy  than  developed  countries  that  already  have checks to ensure proper energy use. The current scene in Nigeria sees not up to half of the population (45%) having access to electricity which has been singled out as the primary source of energy consumption in residential units; 80% of this energy is produced through fossil fuels while the remaining part (20%) is gotten via hydroelectricity. However, 45% of the population with access to electricity constitutes the group that uses the most energy in the county (Index-mundi, 2018).

The importance of communal facilities within a neighbourhood cannot be overemphasised. Apart from meeting several needs, it helps to reduce the need to travel for  residents  living  within  such  communities  that  have  been  integrated  with  these facilities. There is a need for communal facilities to be an integral part of urban developments.  Additionally,  a mixed-use building design  seeks  to  integrate several functions within one building to achieve a live, work and play balance. This balance brings about the communal facilities necessary for neighbourhoods; however, these facilities combine various sectors responsible for significant energy consumption in a single facility, leading to high energy consumption. As the urbanisation of the country calls for the promotion of mixed-use facilities to promote maximisation of resources and comfort, there is also a need to ensure these facilities conserve energy to ensure that they do not create problems while trying to provide solutions (Fakere & Ayeni, 2013).

1.3 Statement of the Research Problem

The residential sector in Nigeria uses the most energy produced through fossil fuels, which is closely followed by the commercial sector (Energypedia, 2012). However, mixed-use buildings combine these facilities with other uses, thereby increasing their energy consumption rate. Pahuja (2017), confirms this by stating that mixed-used facilities  increase  the  pressure  on  the  infrastructure  such  as  water,  electricity,  and sewage, thereby using large amounts of energy. Therefore because of this level of energy  consumption,  it  is  necessary  to  develop  sustainable  energy  conservation practices in mixed-use buildings to ensure a comfortable life for the inhabitants of those buildings and a sustainable environment.

1.4 Aim and Objectives

1.4.1 Aim

This  research  aims  at  integrating energy conservation  measures  in  the design  of a mixed-use building for sustainable development.

1.4.2 Objectives

The objective of this study is to:

i.      Identify  various  energy  conservation  measures  that  can  be  used  to  achieve energy efficiency.

ii.      Identify appropriate energy conservation measures to be used in the selected study area.

iii.      Evaluate  the  use  of  energy  conservation  measures  in  existing  mixed-use buildings.

iv.      Propose  an  appropriate  design  in  Akure  that  applies  the  established  energy conservation measures needed in the study area.

1.5 Study Area

The city of Akure is recognised as the capital of Ondo state, a state in the southwestern part of the country. It has a population of 691,000 people (Macro-trends, 2021). It lies in the tropical rainforest zone of the country, and it is known as a trade centre for several farm produce, the layout of the state is shown in Figure 1.1. Varying densities characterise the city; some areas have over 200 persons per hectare while others have between 60-100 people. The city is a commercial hub with several people flocking in to trade daily.

The population of Akure has tripled over the years owing to several factors like it becoming the state’s  administrative headquarters in  1976,  development  of establishments such as ministries and multiple building estates, and so much more. Due to  the  influx  of  people  into  the  state,  several  construction  projects  commenced randomly, rendering the master plan created in 1980 useless. To prevent this, vertical building types, i.e., story buildings and skyscrapers, compact cities and the adoption of smart growth, should be adopted as they aid in reducing indiscriminate land uses and increase the aesthetic appeal of the built environment (Owoeye & Ibitoye, 2016).

1.6 Scope of Research Work

The research emphasises the study of energy conservation through space and form related to the design of a mixed-use building for Akure, Ondo state. Other building forms would have been considered, but the researcher believes the current need for compact designs will demand more Mixed-use buildings. All three types of mixed-use building design were considered during this research to allow for easy adaptability. The research work carefully analyses several ways energy conservation can be achieved through various ways. The ones regarding the use of space and form were carefully selected because they relate directly to the researcher’s field of study, architecture. Other methods such as using modern technology to produce Smart buildings were not considered. The researcher felt a seasoned researcher in that field could further expand on them. The space and form selection of energy conservation measures was only made with secondary data from previous academic repositories. The qualitative method was used alone for the research due to the nature of data that was to be obtained which was majorly existing data that can be physically observed in the building structure. The design will be based on research carried out, and political and  economic  constraints  are  omitted.  The  type  of  facilities  will  be  limited  to Residential, Recreational, and commercial.

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