It has been innovated to utilize and enforce new building designs that can withstand intense climatic conditions such as stronger winds, extreme heat, wildfires and never-ending rainfall leading to flooding.
In general, buildings are a major contributor to global warming, but the roles of architects in the buildings sector are seen as huge and impacting on changing the way buildings can deal with extreme weather and the effects of climate change.
The building and construction sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 37 percent of global emissions. The production and use of critical building ingredients and materials such as cement, steel and aluminum have a significant carbon footprint. Demolition and new construction both have CO2 footprints.
Experts promote mitigating methods in building construction such as sustainable architecture and green building designs that offer low-impact building materials that use less energy, natural light, rooftop solar panels, smart windows that use ultraviolet (UV) radiation and advanced Energy blocking, and advanced energy efficient heating, ventilation systems, HVAC systems (air conditioning).
The Guardian gathered that the use of green roofs helps to improve buildings' insulation and remove heat from the air through evapotranspiration, while increasing vegetation to reduce external surface temperatures of walls and pathways through shading.
Additionally, cool/white roofs, which reduce the heat absorption of new buildings, are increasingly being used to reduce the impact of climate change on buildings.
To address the impacts of flood/sea level rise on buildings, particularly at flood peaks, modern design now integrates an effective stormwater management system through infiltration ditches, retention ponds, downstream flood control measures and standards for base structure elevation with flood resistant materials.
For existing buildings, an effective near- and medium-term carbon emissions reduction strategy involves architects aligning such structures to meet high-performance standards.
There is also a need to reduce the use of materials such as concrete, steel, aluminum and foam insulation through the design of new buildings. According to the experts, prioritizing recyclable and sustainable materials such as steel and implementing waste reduction strategies during construction will reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. They also found that buildings with improved air quality and natural light contribute to a more comfortable and healthy living environment.
However, there are challenges, including logistical, educational and economic issues related to the initial cost of sustainable materials and technologies, careful planning, resource management and stakeholder coordination.
Industry experts believe that keeping up with rapid advances in green technologies requires adaptation, and navigating the regulatory environment of sustainable construction has become crucial as the weather changes.
A professor of architecture, Erekpitan Ola-Adisa, said the recent devastating floods in various parts of the country have highlighted the vulnerabilities in infrastructure, adding that innovative architectural solutions such as flood-resilient building designs can withstand the wrath of nature.
She urged architects, developers and policymakers to prioritize designs that not only protect lives and property but also promote sustainability as floods have become a recurring challenge, particularly in the Niger Delta regions, urban centers such as Lagos and in the hinterland, where river and poor are superfluous and poor drainage exacerbates the situation.
According to Ola-Adisa, one of the most effective strategies in flood resilience is to elevate buildings above the potential flood, as seen in informal settlements such as Makoko, Lagos, where structures are built on stilts to allow water to flow underneath.
However, in more formal developments, she said residential clients often shy away from such designs, fearing the cost and practicality and leading to problems such as building sinking if proper elevation is neglected.
“Using locally sourced materials is key to creating flood buildings, while high-quality concrete treated with waterproofing additives can improve durability.
“Natural materials such as bamboo and hardwood or semi-wood such as iroko are sustainable and culturally relevant and support the local economy,” she said. Ola-Adisa noted that flood-resilient buildings should also incorporate input and emergency preparedness strategies into the community facility, and that designing multi-purpose spaces that serve as community shelters during disasters promotes resilience and social cohesion. She explained that involving local communities in planning and construction processes ensures structures meet their individual needs and cultural preferences.
The architect also advocated investing in flood-resistant architecture that protects people, preserves the environment and strengthens the economy. The Managing Partner, Sowunmi Williams and Associates, an architectural firm, Mr. Sowunmi Williams, echoed the views of Ola-Adisa, pointing out that the architectural response to flood areas should be through architectural design where the buildings are always above the water levels in the water levels will lie in situations of flooding or sea level rise.
According to him, the roof is the main element in a building exposed to solar radiation. It is advisable to have a long roof projection that covers the outer walls and fills them with various polar radiations.
He added: “Once the shade is there, it means the walls are not receiving solar radiation and cannot absorb heat. It does not allow the external walls to easily absorb heat in the era of climate change.
“Roofing materials, particularly in our tropical area, need to be covered with insulation to prevent the transmission of solar radiation transmitted through roofing elements into the interior from being absorbed. These strategies create a thermally comfortable environment for space users.
The generally acceptable standard for room temperature is between 24 and 27 degrees Celsius. However, the challenge is that the outside temperature in Abuja is around 38 to 40 degrees Celsius depending on the day, while in Lagos it is 30 to 35 degrees Celsius depending on the month of the month. The earth's temperature is generally above room temperature. For this reason, strategies must be used together in building designs to mitigate climate impacts. “