Covenant Journal of Research in the Built Environment

Assessment of Lean Construction Adoption Level to TETFund-Sponsored Construction Projects in Tertiary Institutions in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Ogunde Ayodeji — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The construction industry plays a significant role in long-term national development and economic progress, most especially for emerging nations. The construction industry produces waste in terms of time and other resources to the tune of 57%. This enormous waste contributes greatly to inefficiency, high cost of production and eventually to low productivity. This brought about the concept of lean construction (LC) principles and its adoption. This study therefore seeks to examine the level of adoption of lean construction practices in the Nigerian construction industry, particularly within the context of public tertiary education infrastructure. The data used for this study was obtained through the administration of questionnaires to elicit responses from the target respondents. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentages and Relative Importance Index (RII) to measure the level of importance of various factors. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents was aware of and adopted lean construction and this eventually resulted in high-quality work output and elimination of waste on site. These findings underscore the importance of integrating lean methodologies at every stage of construction. The findings of this study will also provide valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders, enhancing their understanding of the adoption of lean construction principles and identifying research gaps. A further study that can review the level of the adoption of lean construction using a wider scope in term of number of target respondents and not limited to only TETFund-Sponsored construction projects that can give a clearer picture is therefore recommended.

Linking Skill Acquisition with Employee Productivity for Enhanced Project Delivery in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Olasunkanmi, O. Femi-favour — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

As the most extensive constituents of human resources for construction projects, construction employees impact the production process in various ways with attendant effects on productivity. Therefore, this survey examines how skill acquisition influences employee productivity as its major determinant with a view towards enhancing delivery of quality project outputs. Data for seventy-five (75) survey participants, selected by convenience sampling (with sixty-two (62) returned valid) and comprising construction professionals (Architects, Builders, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Land Surveyors, Estate Surveyors and Valuers), nonprofessionals (Artisans, Craftsmen and Labour Assistants), and external stakeholders (Clients and End Users) in Bayelsa State, were sourced quantitatively through a questionnaire. SPSS 24 was employed for descriptive analysis of participants' demographic background and inferential statistics for relative significant influence. The results reveal the following dimensions of employee productivity to be primarily impacted: enhanced proficiency – reduce and minimise errors; increased efficiency – perform tasks quickly and accurately; improved quality – equipped for delivery of quality goods and services; engender competitiveness – healthy competition among the workforce; reduced downtime – troubleshoot problems, quick maintenance, minimising downtime; and efficient equipment usage – maximising equipment utilisation (with the last two sharing the same ranking). The study concludes that skill acquisition significantly enhances employee productivity by its capacity to reduce errors, enable faster and more accurate task execution, and ensure consistent delivery of quality outputs. Furthermore, the CPBOs are enjoined to prioritise acquisition of such skills that positively influence these dimensions of employee productivity, then design and adopt complementary training initiatives. Finally, the existing body of knowledge on employee productivity is enriched by examining and revealing its various dimensions influenced by skill acquisition as its major influencer.

Comparative Performance of REITS and Commercial Bank Shares in Nigeria Stock Exchange

OLOKE, C. Olayinka — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This paper compares the performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and commercial bank shares from 2011 to 2020 for the purpose of providing investments with optimal performance for savvy investors. Share prices and dividends from annual reports were used to calculate income, capital, and total returns. Returns and risks were measured using Mean and Standard Deviation; while risk-adjusted rate of return tool measured the general performance of N-REITs and bank shares. REITs generally underperformed, compared to commercial bank shares. Only Skye Shelter REITs excelled in income return. N-REITs were found to be less risky than commercial bank stocks, but underperformed when compared to commercial banks. Skye Shelter REITs showed highest total return; while UPDC and Union Homes outperformed Access Bank and UBA. Only Polaris, GT, and Zenith banks higher income returns from the REITs. Overall, bank shares are riskier than REITs. Bank stocks offer higher returns with greater risk, whereas REITs provide stable returns with lower volatility, which is suitable for conservative investors. In conclusion, the combination of stable returns on REITs and the volatile returns on bank stocks will reduce the overall portfolio risk. Hence, investors should consider risk management by combining investment with different risk-return characteristics.

Contribution of Inclusion in Real Estate Practices Amongst Real Property Valuers in Kicukiro District, Rwanda

Iroham, O. C — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Inclusion has become necessary due to various advantages which has been associated with it. These include but not limited to enhanced social skills, differentiated instructions, higher friendship and productivity, promoting creativity, shared learning opportunities among others. It has been demonstrated that inclusive practices have favorable effects on corporate growth and competitiveness in a variety of sectors. Real estate professionals adopting inclusive behaviors can improve tenant’s satisfaction, retention rates, and general property success, which are particularly important aspects in real estate industry, where connections and confidence are crucial. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of inclusion in real estate practices amongst real property valuers. The study’s population were 243 real property valuers, from which a sample size of 151 selected, where males (86.3%) dominated, with over 9 years of experience (55.6%). Simple random sampling technique was used, and questionnaires used for data collection. Data analyzed using frequency distribution, mean rank, and Exploratory Factor Analysis using SPSS. Obtained results revealed that majority of real property valuers (47.58%), frequently apply inclusion in their practices. Major contribution of inclusion found to be promotion of social interrelation by bringing people from different backgrounds together in friendly neighbourhoods. Followed by ensuring that all individuals have equal access to property and guarantee ownership regardless any factor. The study concludes that while inclusion is being adopted, its application can be expanded. The study recommended that, public and private organizations should create partnerships and teamwork to strategically drive inclusive real estate practices.

Biophilic Retrofit of Historic Industrial Buildings for Community Health Hubs in Nigeria

OKAFOR, Calistus C — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Nigeria's urban landscape is marked by a paradox: a wealth of abandoned industrial buildings alongside a critical shortage of community health infrastructure. This scoping review investigates the viability of bridging this gap by converting these historic structures into biophilic health hubs, offering a solution to urban neglect, health inequity, and the loss of natural connection in cities. Guided by the established scoping review methodology of Arksey and O’Malley, the study synthesizes evidence from 40 key publications, including academic journals and industry reports from the last decade, with a focus on Nigeria and comparable regions. The analysis demonstrates that strategically introducing natural elements like sunlight, fresh air, and greenery into old factories and warehouses can create restorative environments that enhance psychological wellness and strengthen community health. Despite this promise, the path forward in Nigeria is hindered by insufficient policy support, financial constraints, and a need for locally tailored design models. Ultimately, this study positions biophilic adaptive reuse as a pragmatic and sustainable approach to urban regeneration. To move from concept to reality, it calls for specific actions: governments should create financial incentives for reuse projects, design professionals must engage communities directly in the planning process, and the academic community should focus on generating hard data to measure the real-world benefits of these transformative spaces.

Bridging Research and Practice in Sustainable Housing for Low-income Earners

Daini Olusesan M — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Efforts to secure sustainable housing for low-income earners constitute a persistent challenge in addressing housing deficits, particularly in developing economies. This study systematically examined the current state of research on sustainable housing for low-income communities, identified gaps, and proposed innovative implementation strategies and comprehensive frameworks. The mixed-methods approach (a systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis) was implemented, and the study was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines with the PICOS framework being followed to provide rigor and transparency. The review summarized evidence from 48 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000-2024. Key findings were categorized into six thematic areas: challenges to sustainable housing, innovative strategies, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, sustainable building materials, and the development of comprehensive frameworks. The governance related barriers, the high initial cost of renewable energy technologies and lack of lifecycle assessment of sustainable building materials were noted as major barriers. The use of public-private partnerships, modular construction, and use of locally available materials proved to show significant potential in increasing sustainable housing provision. This study contributes to literature by consolidating fragmented research and highlighting gaps in empirical findings. The originality of this work lies in its dual methodology, which combines systematic review with meta-analysis to provide a robust and holistic understanding of the factors influencing sustainable housing.

Public Private Partnership System Initiation Challenges for the Procurement of Public Infrastructure

Ojelabi Rapheal A — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the severity of the challenges associated with the Public-Private Partnership system initiation phase in the procurement of public infrastructure. Also, strategies for managing the barriers associated with the procurement system were evaluated. The study adopted a quantitative research method, conducting a questionnaire survey targeted at selected PPP stakeholders, which includes Architects, Builders, Structural engineers, estate managers, and Quantity surveyors in Lagos and Abuja. The stakeholders were elicited from selected 19 PPP projects using a project-based approach. The data generated were analysed with SPSS 21 using descriptive and inferential tools. Findings from the study revealed the most severe factors associated with PPP procurement system failure to deliver public infrastructure at the inception phase, including a lack of PPP development fund to promote PPP, corruption among the political class, and investors' perception of the country as high-risk for investment. Likewise, strategies considered significant to managing the PPP initiation barriers were unveiled including establishing policies to facilitate PPP at the inception phase, improving transparency in information sharing and providing guarantee legal framework to protect investors. The findings will grant PPP stakeholders insights to the issues responsible for the termination of PPP project collaboration at initiation phase of the procurement system. Also, the unveiling of the PPP challenges and mitigating strategies at the inception phase could guide stakeholders in developing a framework to a successful PPP implementation in a bid to encouraging more participation at this level.