Wood as a Sustainable Building Material in Nigeria

Abstract

Sustainable development has become a worldwide phenomenon especially in developed economy where it is observed that the green gas emission is critically destroying the ozone layer. A major contributor to this effect is the building construction industry where a lot of energy is expended in the production of building material. Shelter on the other hand is a basic necessity, however, its development should be sustainable and environmentally friendly. Wood as a building material is found to outdo other building material in terms of its cost effectiveness sustainability and durability. Wood is a natural material with a minimal impact to the environment when compared to steel, plastic concrete. It is beautiful, light, strong, durable, flexible and easy to work with. The tropical region especially Nigeria has a lot to gain from the effective utilisation of wood as a major component of building. This is attributable to its low heat conduction and therefore will go a long way in energy savings. It is also abundant and can regenerate through proper afforestation principles. This paper takes a look at the challenges posed by wood as a major building material and how such challenges can be tackled by professionals in the building industry.