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Abstract

HOUSING CRISES DYNAMICS AND RESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS ACROSS GENERATIONS AND TERRITORIAL CONTEXTS: THE CASE OF REUNION ISLAND

Journal: Sustainable Cities and Built Environment (JSCBE)

Author: Pauline Lallemand ^1*, Bruno Malet-Damour¹, and Fiona Benard¹  

1 Physics and Mathematical Engineering Laboratory for Energy, Environment and Building (PIMENT), France

*Correspondence: email: pauline.lallemand@univ-reunion.fr, ORCID ID: ^1* https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8445-8691

This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58757/jscbe.04.02.04

Housing crises are often discussed in terms of shortages, rising prices, and affordability. Yet they also reveal another, less visible reality: the growing distance between the homes people dream of and the homes they can actually access. This paper explores this tension in Réunion Island, a French overseas territory where housing shortages, social inequalities, and increasing land pressures make access to adequate housing increasingly difficult. Drawing on the concept of the aspirations gap, the study combines a quantitative analysis of housing conditions across the island with a qualitative exploration of residents’ housing aspirations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Clustering identify five contrasting socio-residential profiles, while a thematic analysis of 140 semi-structured interviews examines how the ideal kaz (home) is imagined across four generations. The results reveal a highly unequal housing landscape, shaped by differences in income, housing quality, and access to land. They also show that the meaning of the ideal kaz changes across generations. Older residents often express attachment to traditional forms of housing rooted in outdoor living and proximity to nature, while younger generations increasingly aspire to larger and more modern homes shaped by globalised lifestyles and digital imaginaries. Despite these differences, access to individual housing and outdoor space remains a shared aspiration across all age groups. Taken together, the findings suggest that housing inequalities are not only experienced through material living conditions but also through unequal opportunities to achieve desired residential futures. By bringing together territorial inequalities and residents’ lived experiences, this study highlights the importance of considering housing aspirations in the design of housing policies. In island territories such as Réunion, understanding what people expect from housing appears essential for developing solutions that are not only affordable and sustainable but also socially acceptable.

Abstract

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF COMPRESSED EARTH BLOCK TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN BAUCHI STATE OF NIGERIA

Journal: Sustainable Cities and Built Environment (JSCBE)

Author: Clement Ilemona Eqwuda ^1*, Abdulrahim Anabe Isah¹, Abdulmutalib Adavuruku Salihu², Mahmood Sadiq^1, and Odaudu Ugbede Sunday³  

1 Department of Building, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Nigeria; email: egwudaclement@gmail.com

2 Department of Building, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; email: ibnsaliha@gmail.com

3 Department of Architecture, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Nigeria; email: arcodauduugbede@yahoo.com

*Correspondence: email: egwudaclement@gmail.com, Tel.: +2348067843945 ORCID ID: ^1* https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5437-236X

This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58757/jscbe.04.02.03

The construction sector worldwide must implement sustainable material solutions because its current operations create substantial environmental damage. The use of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) provides construction professionals with an environmentally friendly option that replaces traditional concrete blocks through its benefits of decreased energy needs, lower expenses, and the use of regional resources. Nigeria experiences a critical need for housing, yet its current adoption rate of CEB technology remains low. The research analyses the various factors which affect CEB technology implementation in Bauchi State, Nigeria, through its assessment of critical elements. The researchers adopted a quantitative approach using a survey distributed to 416 households in Bauchi Metropolis. The data were analysed using descriptive (Mean, percentage and RII) and inferential (multiple regression analysis) statistics. The results showed that people know about CEB benefits, which include creating job opportunities (Mean = 4.55) and reducing importation (Mean = 4.49).Furthermore, the findings showed low adoption of CEB technology, as evidence suggests that most respondents don’t live in houses made of CEB (Mean = 1.64). The main obstacle to CEB technology adoption is untrained workers, leading to substandard products (RII = 0.90). The regression analysis shows that awareness positively influences acceptability (β = 0.372, p < 0.001), while challenges create a strong negative impact (β = -0.588, p < 0.001). The study concludes that residents are aware of CEB socio-economic benefits but are lacking in its technical and performance-related benefits. Also, technical obstacles, together with socio-cultural issues and institutional challenges, create major obstacles which impede the transition from awareness to adoption. The solution requires developing a robust framework to establish CEB as an attractive, modern sustainable building material.

Abstract

Application of Earned Value Analysis in appraising rural development projects in Ebonyi State of Nigeria

Journal: Sustainable Cities and Built Environment (JSCBE)

Author: Adeyemi Adedapo Adewale ^1* and Odaudu Ugbede Sunday ²

1 Institute of the Built Environment, School of Postgraduate Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria; email: moddap@gmail.com

2 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Nigeria; email  arcodauduugbede@yahoo.com

*Correspondence: email moddap@gmail.com ORCID ID: 0009-0005-8858-4876

This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58757/jscbe.04.02.02

Long-lasting overruns in costs and timeframes in Nigeria undermine the resilience of infrastructure developments in rural sub-Saharan Africa and it is a threat to the sustainability of built environment assets along the urban-rural range. This paper uses Earned Value Analysis (EVA) to estimate the performance of nine rural development projects in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, quantitatively by determining and ranking governance and management drivers of project success to inform sustainable built environment policy and assist in informing the new discourse on institutional capacity of infrastructure delivery in developing contexts. A sequential explanatory mixed methodology was used. A high level of variation was experienced between road works (mean CPI=0.68) and water schemes (mean CPI=0.78). Infrastructure sustainability in rural Nigeria is pegged on governance and specifically the local authority level. The dysfunctional aspect of the paradoxical negative outcome of monitoring is a sign of systemic malfunction that is bursting of corruption, technical tools deficit and the adoption of ineffective oversight policies. The paper recommended improvement in policy and practice through empowerment of local government in institutions, re-engineering monitoring and evaluation among others

Abstract

CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND REAL ESTATE: REUSE, RECYCLING, AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY PRACTICES IN GLOBAL AND AFRICAN PROPERTY MARKETS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Journal: Sustainable Cities and Built Environment (JSCBE)

Author: P. O. Iruobe^*1

1 University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; email: Patience.iruobe@uniben.edu

*Correspondence: email Patience.iruobe@uniben.edu Tel. 08143885563 ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4524-9849

This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58757/jscbe.04.02.01

In the built environment, the circular economy has emerged as an alternative paradigm in response to escalating resource depletion, waste generation, and climate change concerns, but its incorporation remains fragmented across real estate and built environment literature. Whereas Europe and Asia demonstrate measurable progress, Africa faces a drawback due to structural and institutional barriers. This review aggregates findings from previous research on the implementation of circular economy in real estate, focusing on three spheres: reuse, recycling, and resource efficiency across property markets. It aims to determine the predominant thematic trends, key drivers, and barriers, assess geographic differences in implementation, and indicate areas of limited knowledge for future research. A systematic literature review was conducted in line with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Various searches across Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, and Taylor & Francis Online analyzed peer-reviewed journal articles, policy reports, and institutional publications from 2000 to 2024. Initial search records were 1,246, but only 65 studies met the inclusion criteria after screening and full-text assessment. Results from the research disclose strong implementation of the circular economy in Europe and Asia, motivated by policy enforcement, technological advancement, and institutional alliance. In contrast, implementation in Africa remains limited due to factors such as weak governance, inadequate funding, and low prioritization policy. Factors facilitating adoption include material passports, collaborative platforms, and Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, circular economy principles in valuation practices, affordable housing initiatives, equity, and urban land markets remain understudied. There is a potential for circular economy practices in real estate to reduce construction waste, improve resource efficiency, and support sustainable housing. Theoretically, the review contributes by connecting circular economy principles to valuation frameworks; by providing practical insights for practitioners, investors, and policymakers; and by striving to advance circular economy adoption in emerging economies.

Abstract

COMPLIANCE WITH MINIMUM SET-BACK REGULATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILINGS IN EKITI, NIGERIA

Journal: Sustainable Cities and Built Environment (JSCBE)

Author: Yakubu Ukwe-nya Sunday^*1, Baba Benjamin², Ekule Andrew. A³

1 Federal University Oye-Ekiti , Nigeria; email sunday.yakubu@fuoye.edu.ng 

2 Federal Polytechnic Oko, Nigeria; email benrealisa@gmail.com

3 Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, Nigeria; email ekuleadejoh@gmail.com

*Correspondence: email Sunday.yakubu@fuoye.edu.ng; Tel.: +2348034355960 ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6123-4366

This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58757/jscbe.04.01.03

Several pieces of literature made an attempt to present the challenges of compliance with standards and regulations in the construction industry in Nigeria. This study identifies and examines the degree of compliance with minimum building setback regulations by the Town & Urban Development Board in Ekiti, focusing on benchmarking standards with the current practices, targeting residential and commercial building development sites. Using a case measurement and inspection approach, a purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of some sites in Ekiti for data collection, in which 150 residential and commercial building development projects were identified and investigated. This consists of 50 project sites in Ado-Ekiti, 30 at Oye-Ekiti, 20 at Ikole-Ekiti, 30 at Omuo, 10 at Ikere, and 10 at Ikare, respectively. The objective criteria for the measurement were the standards requirements for minimum building setbacks from the road by urban development control in Nigeria. Tables, graphs, tabulation, trends, and percentages were used to classify and rate the data on an acceptable threshold. The findings revealed that compliance varies across different locations, with some showing signs of stronger adherence to standards, others exhibiting widespread noncompliance, and, in some cases, the absence of compliance, raising a lot of concern about enforcement and monitoring. Compliance with minimum setback is critical for sustainable urban development in 76 Nigeria.  While challenges persist in effective enforcement,  public awareness, and policy reforms are needed to improve adherence in residential and commercial buildings in Nigeria