Maintenance of the Federal Secretariat Complex Minna, Niger State: A Post Occupancy Evaluation Approach

Government office buildings in Nigeria are generally faced with premature but steady and rapid deterioration, decay and dilapidation due to lack of maintenance. This study evaluates the main factors responsible for the poor maintenance of the Federal Secretariat Office Complex, Minna, Nigeria using a post-occupancy evaluation approach. The study determines the extent of dilapidation of the office building and the feelings of the users about their office environment. The most frequently recurring maintenance problems are ascertained. By using occupants as a benchmark in evaluation, this paper discusses research with the broad aim of developing a general guideline for the POE practice, specifically for government and public buildings in Nigeria. The research method used was a combination of the descriptive and analytical survey methods. A total of 20 structured questionnaires comprising were administered to the users of the office building. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Some of the findings of the study are that the major contributors to the maintenance problems in government office buildings in Nigeria are natural deterioration due to age, environmental effects and misuse by occupants.  Funding for maintenance was found to be grossly inadequate. The most frequently recurring maintenance problems in the office buildings are plumbing and roof leakages. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of buildings is vitally needed to ensure that building performance of government and public buildings and facilities is sustained. The study recommends POE as an effective, relevant and beneficial tool to be used by the public sector in evaluating the performance of government and public buildings in Nigeria. Keywords: Government Office Building, Post Occupancy Evaluation, Maintenance

A Study of Listing of Buildings and Monuments in Nigeria (1956-2009)

This paper presents an analysis of listed buildings, objects and structures in Nigeria. A study of listed buildings, objects and structures was undertaken to examine their number and condition. The paper discussed the importance of listed buildings to the environment in terms of architectural, historic and cultural significance. It examined the location, criteria and level of preservation and maintenance of such buildings, objects and structures in Nigeria. The study further looked at the origin of listing, listing in Britain and other parts of the world. Listing across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria was also undertaken through direct observation and review of collated data from relevant agencies in charge of listing of buildings in Nigeria. The research made some recommendations that will assist in the preservation of Nigeria`s cultural heritage and sense of identity. The study concludes that the regulatory body which is the National Commission for Museum and Monuments should take the opportunity of securing and preserving these buildings, objects and structures for the benefits of the wider generation to experience the buildings, objects and structures that have been declared as National figures in Nigeria. Keywords: cultural heritage, environment, historic building, listed building, museum and monument

Analysis of User’s Perception on How to Achieve Thermal Comfort in Kano State Luxury Homes

Luxury homes form an important part of development of urban settings in Nigeria, it is predominantly but not always on one building accommodation spaces that contains all necessary components and style of modern residential units. However, the location of these building largely makes them different in relation to the kind view they offer. The congestion and rapid increase of urban activities in Kano State has resulted to thermal comfort challenges, this problem  have remained stagnant in the air for quite a long time, despite the control in design of buildings that have emerged of recent, there still remains the problem of indoor air quality and humid hot interior spaces that affect building occupants. The main aim of this research is to highlight how User’s perception can be used to achieve thermal comforts in the luxury homes in Kano, which can be accessed through examining the effects of thermal discomfort on building users, assessing the actions of users on thermal comfort challenges, evaluating users response on how thermal comfort can be achieved. After extensive review of literature, a research gap was established. Data was collected from the aforementioned study area through administering questionnaire, observation and personal interview. A qualitative and quantitative research approach was employed; SPSS and MSExcel were used for the quantitative data analysis. Findings revealed Users discomfort level, the adaptation techniques they have adopted and suggesting design considerations and ways to which thermal discomforts can be mitigated. Recommendations were made for designing homes with high level of comforts achieved through the idea of the users of buildings. Conclusion was made on the ease of determining the discomfort level of user, and the importance of incorporating their idea and thinking at the starting point in building designs. Keywords: Discomfort, Luxury homes, Thermal comfort, User’s perceptio

Assessment of Parking Spaces in Mixed-Used Buildings in Kano State

Man has been a wanderer right from time inception, moving about in search of food and shelter. Building as a shelter is as old as man, also different buildings perform different functions or uses to man. Some buildings have only one function, while some have multiple functions and they are known as ‘Mixed-use building’. One major problem encountered with these type of structures is the issue of parking, caused as a result of either; the design, the building occupying the whole site, the residents/users of the building, or standard laws (rules and regulation) guarding the area. This paper aims at assessing the efficiency parking space in mixed-use buildings, which can be achieved through analysing the quantity and sizes of the parking spaces provided, estimating the number of car users’, and ascertaining the perception of users’ on the available parking space. The methodology employed involves a purpotive sampling method, where the sample population to be studied were selected due to the mixed-use criteria met by the selected buildings. Data was collected through questionnaires and personal observation. Recommendations were made that various means of achieving an efficient parking space in a mixed-use building or development, such as; the provision of the right parking spaces to the functions performed ratio, during the design stage, also, the issue of shared parking in order to reduce too much usage of scarce land for parking lots should be well planned. Keywords: building, design, mixed-use, parking facility, shared parkin

Assessment of Window Types in Natural Ventilation of Hotels in Taraba State

Natural ventilation provides the needed amount of good air quality through a natural process of allowing air in and out of buildings through the windows in order to achieve thermal comfort. There has been poor ventilation problem in hotels due to choice of windows which causes sick building syndrome. This research is aimed at specifying window types for effective ventilation in hotels. This is to be achieved through ascertaining of the window types used in hotels, ascertaining the window sizes used in hotels and to analyse the various window types in order to specify the effective types for hotels. In carrying out the objectives, two hotels were selected from each of the three senatorial zones in Taraba State where primary data were collected from a total of six selected hotels through direct observation. Secondary data in relation to natural ventilation and window types were gotten through review of literature. The data collected were analysed, using descriptive statistics. Findings and deduction were made. The concluding part of this research highlights the need and importance of using window types that provide the maximum ventilation in hotel rooms and other spaces. Recommendations were made for windows with high ventilation percentage to be used in hotels for effective ventilation. Keywords: Hotel, Natural Ventilation, Sick building syndrome, thermal comfort, windo

Modular Principles for Flexibility of Spaces in Skill Acquisition Centres, Benue State

The design of skill centre around the country is such that they are specific to particular skill type and usually the buildings cannot be used for another activity. The need to use spaces for multiple functions has ensured that flexible spaces in skill acquisition centres are designed such that the spaces can easily be varied into smaller discrete and scalable sizes. This paper examined the interior spaces for pedagogical and didactic activities in six selected skills acquisition centres in Benue state. The issue of the rigidity of spaces occurring as product of the building design which is meant to serve a required function usually ensures that spaces are less flexible and in many cases unusable for other functions. The aim of the study is to examine the flexibility nature of skill centres with a view to determining functions that could be combined. A post occupancy evaluation was carried out using a mix method approach through the use of observation checklist and questionnaire. The issues examined include the various sizes of workshop spaces, walling materials used to enclose spaces, the degree of flexibility of both spaces and materials based on modular principles and users' perception of satisfaction of working spaces. A total of 300 copies of questionnaires were administered to staff and students. Based on the total valid responses, 70% were not satisfied with the sizes of the working space. The resultant data obtained was analysed using descriptive statistics from SPSS. It was observed that most spaces though modular were non-flexible. Users' satisfaction with the sizes of working spaces was determined. The paper concluded on the need for the flexibility of spaces in order to accommodate varying utility.Keywords: Flexibility, Interior Spaces, Modular Space, User Satisfaction, Working Spac

Housing data base for sustainable housing provision

The paper examined selected data requirements for housing provision in selected housing estates as applicable to house owners with the view of determining the degree of relevance to mass housing provision. The research employed a mixed method approach by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data which were analysed using descriptive analysis in SPSS. The results are presented in tables, charts and figures to illustrate the data developed. The result showed that a significant percentage of the people living in these estates are tenants and cannot afford to pay for the ownership of the houses. It also showed that the houses were not built based on any data obtained from prospective house owners hence the constant desire to make changes. The paper concludes that the housing provision as currently practised is not socially sustainable as it does not rely on data from the prospective house owners. It therefore recommends that for future housing estate developments, prospective house occupiers should be determined first in order to obtain relevant data considered necessary to be infused in the design.Keywords: Database, estates, housing, owners, tenant

Toxicological evaluation of graded levels of freshly harvested bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea) and tridax (Tridax procumbens) leaves on blood chemistry of rabbits

Bamboo is a perennial plant, readily available throughout the year and has been reportedly used in feeding livestock such as cattle, horse and sheep but known to possess antioxidant due to the presence of biologically active components groups, the phenolics. Thus the effects of bamboo (Bambusa arundinancea) leaves partially or totally replacing tridax (Tridax procumbens) leaves on blood constituents of rabbits were studied using weaner rabbits in a 70-days experiment. Six diets were formulated such that the control diet (T1) had 0% leaves (concentrate/formulated feed) while the five other diets were offered at the ratio of 100:0 (T2), 75:25(T3), 50:50(T4), 25:75(T5) and 0:100(T6) of freshly harvested B. arundinancea and T. procumbens leaves, respectively. Feeds were offered at 4% of the rabbits'' live weight and apart from the control diet, the five other diets had 2% fixed concentrate and 2% experimental leaves ratio. Thirty-six weaned mixed sex and cross bred rabbits with an average weight of 1075±15.5g were allocated to a completely randomized design with six rabbits per treatment. The feeds were analysed for their antinutritional factors. The rabbits were slaughtered while the blood was harvested and used for the blood constituents. The percent ash was appreciably higher in bamboo than tridax leaves. The bioactive antioxidants flavonoids were detected in the leaves of bamboo and absent in tridax leaves. Both bamboo and tridax leaves had appreciably very low tannin. With exception of neutrophils, lymphocyte, eosinophil, basophil and MCHC, other haematological parameters were significantly (P<0.05) affected. Diets had no effect on total protein, albumin, bilirubin, creatinine and ALP. It is concluded therefore that partial or total replacement of tridax with bamboo leaves had no deleterious effect on the health status of growing rabbits

An Assessment of Users Opinion as A Tool for Generation of Maintenance Process In Shiroro Hotel Minna, Niger State.

The demand for Building Maintenance is on the increase all over the world; Nigeria a developing nation with its drive towards upgrading from a third world country isn’t left behind. Preservation of public buildings against possible future breakdowns so as to keep in good state and fit into the urban context is a goal that must be achieved in this paper. The maintenance of public buildings is of paramount importance as it’s the next on the gliding scale of urbanization after the conversion of slums to cities. The research is aimed at assessing the Hotel in its functional state and highlighting factors limiting adequate maintenance process, in carrying out these study, primary data are to be collected from Hotel management staffs of each unit with the aid of a well structured close ended questionnaire, the (guest) current users of the Hotel are to be interviewed using an interview schedule. Secondary data in relation to building maintenance of the study area are to be gotten from Niger state ministry of works, department of public buildings. The data collected are to be analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings and deductions are to be gotten. The conclusive part of this research highlights the need for an effective implementable maintenance process of Shiroro Hotel Minna that takes cognizance of the users during decision making and implementation of maintenance management programs, it would also possibly propose a maintenance policy towards guarding the adequate implementations of these maintenance processes, the research would also come up with a model for carrying out adequate maintenance process with minimum effects on the users.Keywords. Hotel, user opinion, Maintenance process, User satisfaction