Green-Building Practices: Reducing Emissions and Enhancing Urban Housing Sustainability in Africa:

Ngoy Steve Kabemba; Abimbola Windepo; Darmarajan Chinasam; Sizolwenkosi Mthethwa; Timothy Nubi

Ngoy Steve Kabemba Department of Construction Economics and Management, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, University of Cape Town
Abimbola Windepo Department of Estate Management, ARUA Center for Urbanization and Habitable Cities, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Darmarajan Chinasam Department of Estate Management, ARUA Center for Urbanization and Habitable Cities, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Sizolwenkosi Mthethwa Department of Construction Economics and Management, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, University of Cape Town
Timothy Nubi Department of Estate Management, ARUA Center for Urbanization and Habitable Cities, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Keywords: Green building practices, Carbon emissions reduction, Urban sustainable housing, Energy efficiency

Abstract

Through a systematic concept map, this study theoretically explores the effectiveness of green-building practices in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing sustainability in urban housing. The building and construction industry is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions globally because of its substantial use of materials and energy, which inevitably results in carbon emissions and waste, thereby worsening the greenhouse effect by causing global temperature rise. The adverse consequences of these practices are amplified as society's resources are depleted through the consumption of non-renewable energy sources, thus contributing to the gradual deterioration of the earth's ecological environment. Importantly, the long lifespan of existing buildings means that the impact of poor building practices in Africa will be felt for decades to come. The researcher conducted a systematic literature review involving peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, books and relevant industry reports obtained from academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. The review was structured on essential themes surrounding sustainable building practices in urban housing, capable of reducing carbon emissions. The study found that the use of non-renewable energy sources, such as coal, oil, gas and diesel generators which are heavily relied upon for heating, cooling and lighting of buildings lead to high carbon emissions, putting them among the primary drivers of carbon emissions in the construction sector. Numerous studies have highlighted not only challenges but also the effectiveness of green building practices in mitigating carbon emissions and promoting sustainability in urban housing. It was also found that the adoption of green building practices such as energy-efficient design, renewable energy integration and efficient water management can lead to reductions of up to 30% in CO2 emissions while simultaneously improving indoor air quality and creating a healthier and more comfortable living environment for residents in the African context. Given these findings, the study concludes that inefficient building design and construction practices result in energy-inefficient buildings that undermine efforts to reduce carbon emissions.