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 thermal comfort. 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 Akwa Ibom State.

Akwa Ibom 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

Despite a growing body of literature on use of local building materials, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with thermal comfort, particularly within Akwa Ibom State. Many organizations continue to make decisions about use of local building materials without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect thermal comfort. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

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

1.4 Research Questions

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

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around thermal comfort. For managers and practitioners within Akwa Ibom State, the study provides practical insight into how use of local building materials can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on architecture by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Use of Local Building Materials and its relationship with thermal comfort within the context of Akwa Ibom State. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.