IMPACT OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHSOUTH, NIGERIA

Purpose: Climate variability in the South-South, Nigeria is a significant concern due to the region's vulnerability to extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and high temperatures. The region, being prone to extreme weather events, is vulnerable to disruption of construction activities and delayed project completion. The motivation of this study is to determine the impact of climate variability on construction project activities in the execution phase in the study area.

 

Design/methodology/approach: This study assessed the drivers of climate variability in the study area, the extent of the impact of climate variability on construction activities, and determined the critical construction activities impacted by climate variability. Questionnaire survey was administered on proportionally stratified random sample of construction professionals in the study area. The derived data were subjected to both descriptive and statistical analyses using Mean Score, Relative Extent of Impact, and inter-rater agreement to spot the critical construction activities impacted by climate variability. Kendall's Concordance Coefficient was used to test the study's hypotheses.

 

Findings: Findings revealed that gas flaring from oil companies, solar radiation, topography, and deforestation are the highest contributors to climate variability in the study area, as perceived by the respondents. Excavation of septic tank and soak-away pit; laterite filling to make up level, and placement of in-situ concrete in foundation footing, ranked in the first three positions as being impacted by rainfall. Excavation of trench for foundation; plain in-situ concrete in floor bed as oversite; and application of paint on external wall ranked in the first three positions as being impacted by temperature. Kendall's coefficients of concordance (W) were 0.89, 0.91, 0.73, and 0.86 for rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind speed respectively, revealing either substantial or perfect agreement among the respondents about extent of impact of climate variability on construction activities.

 

Research limitations/Implications: The limitations include the use of three States to represent South-South region and the construction processes examined are limited to Building construction project. The contribution to knowledge is that this study established the critical construction activities prone to impact of climate variability in the execution phase.

 

Practical implications: Managers of construction sites should plan the critical construction activities prone to impact of climate variability as derived by this study against catastrophic impact.

 

Originality/value: The study revealed that rainfall and temperature significantly impact construction project activities in the study area. Inversely, no construction activity is found to be significantly impacted by humidity and wind.