Rural-Urban Migration in South Western Nigeria: A Menace to National Development

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another which could either be permanent or temporal. The study investigated the resultant effects of rural-urban migration to national development with a particular focus on the South western part of Nigeria. It analyzed the causes of rural-urban migration, past efforts of the government in reducing the rate of rural-urban migration in these areas and the socio-economic factors influencing rural-urban migration. The study also reviewed existing literatures on rural-urban migration. Data were collected from the respondents through a structured questionnaire which was administered on Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states; all in the southwestern part of Nigeria. The study identified lack of social infrastructure, neglect of the rural community, modernization and others as some of the factors responsible for rural-urban migration. The paper therefore proposes that for all round national development, the rural communities has to be developed to meet the standard of the urban centres in order to reduce the rate of rural-urban migration. Keywords: rural, urban, migration, menace, national development

Establishing the limitations of sustainable construction in developing countries: a systematic literature review using PRISMA.

Establishing a more sustainable built environment is an increasing global concern for the construction industry. Despite the intrinsic and extrinsic obstacles the stakeholders face, huge efforts are required to transition to a smooth, sustainable construction (SC) practice. This study identifies and discusses cogent obstacles to SC in developing nations. The Preferred Reporting Item for systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach was employed to establish research work in SC for developing countries. The databases used were Scopus and Web of Science. Meta-analysis of keywords was analysed thematically. The initial broad search returned 8,420 publications which were filtered and reviewed in-depth to fit the aim of the study, produced only 21 relevant publications from the years 2000–2021. The four identified themes of obstacles to SC in developing countries are as follows: construction professional training and education, clients' attitudes and awareness, construction industries' culture and capacity and governments' regulation, policies and economy. The key barriers identified from the metaanalysis include inadequate training and education amongst construction professionals, poor execution of sustainability ethics, poor populace attitude towards sustainability, poor awareness and understanding, dearth of precise data and integrated study and inappropriate priorities about sustainability. The originality in this study are themes drawn from millennium development goals (MDGs) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) publications related to SC. Consequently, the final framework presented a holistic approach to surmounting the established limitations and aided recommendations for future studies. Thus, setting a background for developing strategies to overcome the limitations and further attain sustainable development (SD)

Demystifying the Barriers and Motivators for the Adoption of Base Isolation Systems in New Zealand

A base isolator is a proven system that can significantly reduce any damage to a building in the event of an earthquake. Despite their efficacy, seismic isolators are not widely used in New Zealand, with only about forty systems in use during the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury Earthquakes. This study seeks to investigate why base isolation systems are not frequently used in seismic strengthening projects and buildings in New Zealand. It also focuses on determining ways in which seismic isolators could become more widely used in New Zealand due to increased seismic activity. This study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design, in which qualitative data were collected first through in-depth face-to-face interviews, analysed, and used to construct the quantitative instrument, which was an online questionnaire. Data were obtained from construction professionals such as architects, engineers, site-based construction personnel, and quantity surveyors. The findings of this study indicated the need for an increased awareness of base isolation systems and improved universal guidelines for the design of seismic isolators. The motivators identified include provision of monetary incentives, such as reduced insurance premiums and financial subsidies, to encourage the adoption of seismic isolators. The factors preventing the adoption of base isolation systems in New Zealand were classified as human-related, safety and design-related, and cost-related. The study’s implication is that providing a universal guideline for seismic isolators can enhance designers’ confidence. Likewise, incentives may be provided to property owners to lower the cost of implementing a base isolation system

Seismic vulnerability and inventory of at-risk elements in the wine industry: Auckland region case study

Seismic vulnerability is a major threat to New Zealand's winery industry. Many studies have assessed the vulnerability of New Zealand wineries, especially in high seismic regions. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the earthquake susceptibility of wineries in low seismic regions, such as Auckland. This study investigated the earthquake vulnerability of wineries in the Auckland region by (i) creating an inventory of the elements at risk in the wineries and (ii) assessing the level of vulnerability of these elements. As case studies, twenty-one wineries from various parts of the Auckland region were chosen. The research findings identified key elements at risk of seismic hazard in Auckland wineries using a field survey, including buildings, storage tanks, catwalks, and barrel racks. Furthermore, the findings revealed that at-risk elements are vulnerable to moderate to high levels, emphasising the need for resilience strategies to reduce potential earthquake losses. This study concluded that low seismic risk does not imply low vulnerability, and that Auckland winery owners should reconsider their views on seismic risk mitigation. The study's findings benefit both winery owners and industry professionals by providing insights into the Auckland winery's vulnerability level and recommending approaches to improving the winery's organisational resilience

A Review of Circular Economy Development Models in China, Germany and Japan

The circular economy (CE) concept is gaining traction as a sustainable strategy for reducing waste and enhancing resource efficiency. This concept has been adopted in some countries such as Denmark, Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, Japan, China, and Germany while it is being considered by others including England, Austria, and Finland. The CE has been employed in the manufacturing, agricultural, textile, and steel industries but its implementation varies. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to identify CE implementation in three pioneering countries (China, Japan, and Germany). A critical review and analysis of the literature was conducted. The results revealed enabling and core policies/laws for the development of the CE concept. It also identified the implementation structure of the CE in China, Germany, and Japan. In conclusion, the findings of this study are expected to serve as a guide for developing and implementing the CE concept in various sectors of the economy