Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Use of Local Building Materials has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with housing delivery. This growing interest reflects the recognition that use of local building materials does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Gombe State.

Gombe State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While use of local building materials is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on housing delivery within Gombe State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to use of local building materials are helping or hindering housing delivery — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Use of Local Building Materials on housing delivery in Gombe State.
2. To assess the extent to which use of local building materials influences housing delivery within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with use of local building materials in relation to housing delivery.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing use of local building materials in order to improve housing delivery.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of use of local building materials on housing delivery in Gombe State?
2. To what extent does use of local building materials influence housing delivery within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with use of local building materials in relation to housing delivery?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize use of local building materials in order to improve housing delivery?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of architecture, this study has practical value for management teams within Gombe State seeking to understand how use of local building materials translates into measurable outcomes around housing delivery. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Gombe State, focusing specifically on how use of local building materials relates to housing delivery within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.