EVALUATION OF THE ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STRATEGIES IN LARGE-SIZED HOTELS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA
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Hotels as part of the physical components of the built environment are increasingly
embracing practices that promote environmental sustainability in design and operations.
In Lagos, Nigeria, hotels are growing in large numbers in response to economic indices. It
has been observed that the hospitality industry is energy-intensive, consumes large
volumes of water, and generates huge amounts of waste with attendant effects on the
ecological environment. A potent way of promoting sustainability in the hotel industry
and reducing the adverse environmental impact of hotel buildings is the adoption of
Sustainable Design Strategies (SDS). This study evaluated the adoption of SDS in largesized
hotels in Lagos, Nigeria, to identify the factors that influenced this. A mixedmethod
research design was employed for the study. A comprehensive literature review
was done to ascertain the predominant SDS adopted in hotels. This formed the basis for
the design of the questionnaire administered to 140 Hotel Managers drawn from 20 largesized
hotels and 60 Architects from 16 registered architectural firms involved in the
design of the hotels. These were complemented with data sourced from oral interviews,
field observations, and photographic instrument of data collection. The quantitative data
were analysed using descriptive statistics and mean ranking using Statistical Package for
Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 20. while content analysis was used to analyse the
qualitative data. The study identified 37 SDS with the reuse programme being the most
commonly adopted strategy in the design of hotel buildings reviewed. In the study area, it
was observed that about 93 % of the design professionals who designed the hotels
investigated were very much aware of energy reduction strategies, 86 % were aware of
water conservation strategies, and 91% were aware of waste minimisation strategies. In
contrast, about 70% of the Hotel Managers sampled were aware of energy reduction
strategies, 45 % aware of water conservation strategies, and 67% were aware of waste
minimisation. Further, about 91% of the design professionals have adopted energy
reduction strategies, 73% have adopted water conservation strategies, and 46% have
adopted waste minimisation strategies. For the Hotel Managers, 65 % have adopted
energy reduction strategies, 40% have adopted water conservation strategies, and 61%
have adopted waste minimisation strategies. This study also revealed that both the design
professionals and Hotel Managers ranked energy-saving bulbs, low-flush toilets, and
placement of dustbins as the most adopted strategies for energy reduction strategies,
water conservation strategies, and waste minimisation strategies, respectively. Alternative
energy sources, watering green spaces at night, covering swimming pools, and reuse
programme/recycling ranked the least adopted strategies for energy reduction strategies,
water conservation strategies, and waste minimisation strategies for both design
professionals and Hotel Managers, respectively. Even though, the result on the level of
awareness corroborates that on the extent of adoption of SDS, the cost associated with
SDS and the availability of adequate and right information were identified as the most
significant factors that influenced the adoption of SDS in the survey. The lack of space
for solar panel installation, and difficulties in obtaining permits for retrofitting the
buildings played a crucial role in the extent of adoption of SDS in the existing hotels in
the study area. The study, therefore, concludes by suggesting strategies for improving the
level of the adoption of SDS, encouraging retrofitting, and raising awareness of SDS as a
framework for enhancing the sustainability of hotel buildings both in design and in
operation.
Keywords
NA Architecture