Consolidation of water management and efficiency parameters for development of green building rating system

Water generation and distribution involve activities that leads to energy consumptions in various ways. This leads to GHG emission which make it important for various sustainable development assessment. Hence it is important to develop some consolidated parameters to cover water in building life cycle assessment (LCA). Development of rating system involves the utilisation of some parameters and points allocation. These parameters and points allocation varies between countries and their rating systems. This study aim at reviewing water management and efficiency category and the extent of parameters and points allocation across some rating systems. The purpose of the review is to develop a consolidated parameters that will universally cover building life cycle assessment. Eleven rating scheme’s categories, parameters and points allocation were reviewed. Specifically, water generation, distribution and usage was further elaborated for this study. The parameters were reviewed from the context of their, adaptability, preference, prevalence, relevance and measurability of parameter to suit the universal concept of sustainable building assessment. The review shows that the variations of the parameters and points distribution are based on social, economic and environmental need of the country. The highest parameters and points allocation signifies the need of efficient water generation, distribution and usage and lack of enough fresh water for daily activities. The lowest consideration is due to advancement in sustainable water generation, distribution and usage. The study consolidated the parameters in to nine parameters covering the strategies for reducing unnecessary water usage and other sourcing consequences. They also cover the approximate accounting of GHG emission from water consumption and its reduction. The study can be used by researcher, organisations and countries developing rating schemes. As the study harmonised parameters covered the entire sustainable building and greenhouse gas assessment in term of water generation, distribution and usage

Development of carbon footprint quantification and reduction (cafquar) assessment tool for selected non-residential buildings

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission is the major consequences of industrial revolution, technology advancement and urbanisation. Building is one of the major factor of these and hence one of the major contributor to global GHG emissions. To ensure sustainable recognition in the building sector, several assessment tools were developed. Some of these tools assessed the sustainability of built environment and others quantify either water, energy, transport or greenery associated emissions hence partially capture building life cycle phase categories. The study aimed at developing an assessment tool for assessing building design emission reduction and operational emission quantification and reduction covering energy, water, transportation, waste and greenery as categories. These categories, parameters and points allocation were obtained from reviewing literatures (eleven rating systems and international standards and reports) and were divided into 27 parameters and 70 sub-parameters. The buildings are graded with star rating and together with the points allocation are distributed to a maximum of 100 Points. The performance of the tool was evaluated by considering the tool feasibility, measurability, applicability, relevancy and its compliance with international standards. These criteria were explained in the pilot and case studies assessment, comparison with other tools and consultation with stakeholders. The pilot and case study assessment cover library, four academics, and office buildings. Some of the case studies have an excellent performance grade which can be seen from their net Carbon Footprint (CFP) and carbon indexes results. This defines the tool ability to compute the net building operational GHG emission and emission density over the total floor area. These processes and criteria fulfilment describe the tools potentials in covering wider scope in relation to GHG emission in term of categories, parameters and its application to variety of non-residential buildings. It is the first tool that consider quantification of all the emission sources categories of the operational phase. The tool is useful to industries for emission quantification and reduction and to government for monitoring their industrial compliance to policies and standards

An estimation of bio-methane and energy project potentials of municipal solid waste using landfill gas emission and cost models

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to analyse municipal solid waste (MSW) disposed of in Jimeta-Yola metropolis for landfill gas (LFG), methane and project viability potential. Design/methodology/approach – The data was collected daily from landfills for four weeks. About 7,329.55 Mg/year of waste was analysed. These waste were separated into bio-degradable components i.e. paper and textile (263.66 Mg), non-food organic (681.45 Mg), wood and straw (189.50 Mg) and food and kitchen waste (1797.20 Mg). Non-degradable components include plastics, polythene bags, metals, sand, stones, cans etc. (4397.73 Mg). The component's characteristics such as a number of samples, weight, volume, landfill age etc. were measured. The waste, methane (CH4) and energy potential were also analysed using LFG energy cost model. Findings – The landfills received 15 Gg/year of MSW and emit 0.31 Gg/year of LFG having CH4 content of 82.95 Mg in 2016. These can produce 33.78 GWh of heat energy equivalent to 10.14 GWh of electricity analytically. Therefore, between 2016 and 2022, about 2.24 Gg CH4 and 5201.32 MWh of electricity were wasted. Henceforth, proper management of these waste substances can produce 186.4 Gg CH4 which will generate 432.52 GWh of electricity. The most economically viable project is an electricity project generating 418 kW/year at a sale price of $1.14/kWh (58.38/kWh) and a payback period of 11 years. Practical implications – Raw LFG collected can be used in heating brick kilns, boilers, furnaces and greenhouses. When treated, the LFG can produce renewable natural gas (RNG), which is used in energy generation and various domestic, vehicle and industrial applications. Social implications – The analytical energy generation can provide gross revenue of ₦19.46bn at an average of ₦192.71million/year. Using Landfill Gas Emissions Model (LandGEM) model, the gross and net revenue will be$0.42m and $0.28m yearly, respectively. The project can provide jobs and economic boost to the immediate community through associated ripple effect. Originality/value – The research is a pre-feasibility study for LFG to gas or electricity projects in Jimeta-Yola. The study contributed to the body of knowledge as a source of literature for further studies locally and globally

Cytotoxic activities of fractionated ethanol extract of the root bark of terminalia catappa and isolation of eriodictyol-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction

The crushed root bark of terminalia catappa Linn was extracted using aqueous ethanol. The crude extract was suspended in water and successively partition into n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol soluble fractions. The fractions i.e.; n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water were subjected to cytotoxic activity using brine shrimp lethality bioassay and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) analyses. The cytotoxicity of the isolates were evaluated in terms of lethality concentration (LC50). Comparing the result obtained to vincristine sulphate with LC50 of 0.61 μg/ml, ethyl acetate and n-hexane fractions demonstrated a significant cytotoxic activity having LC50 value of 0.82 μg/ml and 1.21 μg/ml. The LC50 values of the water, dichloromethane and n-butanol fractions were 11.90 μg/ml, 13.25 μg/ml and 17.10 μg/ml respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction with significant activity in in-vitro cytotoxic activity and a good proton NMR profiles, was further fractionated and purified using column chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography (PTLC) and the isolate obtained were characterized using spectroscopic techniques (MS, IR, 1H and 13C NMR, 1H-1H COSY and 1H-13C HSQC). We concluded that the compound isolated was eriodictyol-7- O-β-D-glucopyranoside

Development of comprehensive carbon footprint and environmental impact indicators for building transportation assessment

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to consolidate a set of indicators for assessing design and construction phase strategies for reducing operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. They will also estimate the quantity of operational GHG emission and its associated reduction over assessment period. Design/methodology/approach – Five steps framework adopted include defining the purpose of the indicators and selection of candidate indicators. Others are defining the criteria for indicator selection, selecting and defining the proposed indicators. Relevancy, measurability, prevalence, preference, feasibility and adaptability of the indicator were the criteria used for selecting the indicators. Findings – The study consolidated public transport accessibility, sustainable parking space, green vehicle priority, proximity to amenities and alternative modes as indicators for design and construction phase strategies. Transportation accounting and carbon footprint (CFP) and their associated reduction are indicators for operational GHG emission while plan and policy is an indicator for policymakers and stakeholders. Practical implications – The study shows that providing correct indicators for assessing direct and indirect GHG emission with easy to obtain data is essential for assessment of built environment. Stakeholder can use the indicators in developing new rating systems and researchers as an additional knowledge. Policy makers and stakeholders can use the study in monitoring and rewarding the sustainability and activities of building related industries and organisations. Originality/value – The study was conducted at the Center for Energy and Industrial Environmental Studies (CEIES) Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia and utilises existing rating systems and tools, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and GHG protocol reports and guides and several other standards, which are open for research

Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Screening of Calotropis Procera Stem Bark Extracts

Communication in Physical Sciences 2020, 5(3): 233 Authors: Abdullahi Usman, Ruth O. Onore, Osebuohien A. Oforghor, Jibrin Mohammed, and Nasiru L. Usman Received 19 May 2020/Accepted 29 May 2020 In continuation of the need to search for phytochemicals in parts of some rare and native plants of Nigeria origin. This study was designed to carry out phytochemical screening, antioxidant properties and determination of total phenolics and flavonoid contents in Calotropis procera Stem. The phytochemical screening of stem bark of C. procera using aqueous and methanol extracts revealed the presence of tannins, phenols and flavonoid. The aqueous extract was also found to contain saponins while methanol extract also has steroids. Steroids was the only metabolite present in hexane extract. The anti-oxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of aqueous and methanolic extracts of stem bark of C. procera were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium chloride colorimetric assays. From the results obtained, the methanolic extract was observed to have demonstrated a significant concentration of phenolic (81.65±0.92 mg GAE/g), and flavonoid (46.08±0.71 mg RE/g) than the aqueous extract (66.07±0.43 mg GAE/g, 31.34±0.39 mg RE/g). The aqueous and methanol extracts showed maximum activities of 28.16±0.64% and 81.65±0.71% at 1 mg/ml respectively. However, the ascorbic acid exhibited 83.12±1.02% in the DPPH assay. The results of the present study, shows that both aqueous and methanolic extracts could serve as a valuable source of natural antioxidants

Medicinal Plants with Antimalarial Potentials from Northern Nigeria: A Review

Malaria is a prevalent infectious disease that is transmitted by parasites through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Despite advancements in medical science, malaria is still a significant global health challenge, especially in regions like northern Nigeria. Medicinal plants have long played a pivotal role in traditional healthcare systems, serving as valuable sources of therapeutic compounds. In the context of malaria, certain plants in Northern Nigeria have been traditionally recognized for their antimalarial properties, offering an alternative or complementary approach to conventional treatments. The significance of these medicinal plants lies in their potential to provide accessible, cost-effective, and culturally relevant solutions for managing malaria. Traditional knowledge about these plants has been passed down through generations, contributing to the resilience of local communities against the disease. This review explores the rich diversity of medicinal plants in Northern Nigeria with antimalarial properties. Through extensive research utilizing various search engines, we identified and examined 30 distinct plant species traditionally used in the treatment of malaria across the region. The documented uses, phytochemical compositions, and therapeutic potentials of these plants contribute valuable insights into the traditional medicinal practices of Northern Nigeria. Our findings underscore the importance of further scientific investigation and documentation of these natural resources, with the potential for developing novel antimalarial drugs and fostering sustainable healthcare practices in the region

The Impact of COVID-19 on Housing Market: A Review of Emerging Literature

The housing market over the years has been impacted by various factors in different ways. This review paper examines the growing literature on the impact of COVID-19 on the housing market to ascertain its positive and negative effects. Thus, a total of 40 published conference papers, thesis, academic journal articles, and others obtained from secondary sources were reviewed and revealed that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in some scenarios had positive and negative impacts on the housing market. The paper found that the positive impacts include a rise in housing prices, increase in housing supply and reduction in mass evictions in some locations, while the negative impacts are on housing prices, demand and supply, constraints in mortgage return maintenance and delay in the construction of new housing apartments. The paper, therefore, concludes that both positive and negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are felt on the housing market globally. These thereby form a basis for further studies on the growing impacts of the pandemic concerning the housing market

The Impact of COVID-19 on Housing Market: A Review of Emerging Literature

The housing market over the years has been impacted by various factors in different ways. This review paper examines the growing literature on the impact of COVID-19 on the housing market to ascertain its positive and negative effects. Thus, a total of 40 published conference papers, thesis, academic journal articles, and others obtained from secondary sources were reviewed and revealed that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in some scenarios had positive and negative impacts on the housing market. The paper found that the positive impacts include a rise in housing prices, increase in housing supply and reduction in mass evictions in some locations, while the negative impacts are on housing prices, demand and supply, constraints in mortgage return maintenance and delay in the construction of new housing apartments. The paper, therefore, concludes that both positive and negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are felt on the housing market globally. These thereby form a basis for further studies on the growing impacts of the pandemic concerning the housing market

Comparative study on energy management and efficiency category in sustainable building rating schemes

The paper aims to provide comparative study on energy management and efficiency category in sustainable building rating schemes. Eleven sustainable rating schemes have been considered in the present papers which consist of forty three tools. All the tools have been reviewed in terms of credits allocation, parameters allocation, and its credits requirement associated with energy management and efficiency category. In terms of credits allocation, all considered schemes have allocated at least ninety eight credits for parameters in energy management and efficiency category with minimum of twenty nine parameters. In addition to the credit and parameters allocation, the present work also provides specific requirement on the credits for each of the schemes. Eighty six parameters have been recognized from the tools associated to be associated with energy management and efficiency. All these parameters have been consolidated into eighteen parameters and would be very useful for the future development of the sustainable tools