Sustainable Building Materials as Drivers of Environmentally Friendly Architecture: Evidence from Perception of Bamboo and Unfired Clay Bricks
Abstract
The construction industry remains one of the most resource-intensive and environmentally impactful sectors globally, largely due to the dominance of energy-intensive conventional building materials such as cement and steel. In response to growing concerns about climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation, sustainable building materials have emerged as critical drivers of environmentally friendly architecture. This study investigates the role of sustainable building materials, specifically bamboo and unfired clay bricks, in promoting environmentally friendly architectural practices. Using a mixed-methods research approach, the study integrates literature review, comparative case studies, questionnaire surveys, and semi-structured interviews with architects, engineers, and construction professionals. Empirical data collected from 150 respondents and in-depth interviews with 20 professionals were analyzed to assess environmental performance, feasibility, user perception, and barriers to adoption. The findings reveal that bamboo and unfired clay bricks are widely perceived as environmentally preferable alternatives due to their low carbon footprint, renewability, biodegradability, and reduced rate of energy consumption during production. Reduction of carbon emissions, biodegradability, and availability of renewable resources emerged as the most influential factors in evaluating their eco-friendliness. However, challenges such as limited awareness, regulatory constraints, resistance to change, technical concerns, and skill requirements continue to hinder widespread adoption. The study concludes that bamboo and unfired clay bricks possess significant potential to drive environmentally friendly architecture, particularly in developing countries, provided that supportive policies, improved technical standards, capacity building, and increased stakeholder awareness are implemented. The research contributes to sustainable construction discourse by providing empirical evidence to support informed material selection and environmentally responsible architectural practice.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Adeola Sarah Ajayi , Oluranti Mobolaji Oladunmoye, Joel Babawale Taiwo
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