Residential buildings, when provided, are expected to satisfy design requirements and stay in a healthy, sustainable, and safe condition within their lifespan before the issue of decay sets in. But in recent times, the issues of early decay of residential building components and materials resulting in limitation in usable indoor spaces in residential buildings in Port Harcourt Municipality have become a source of concern to building owners, occupants, and the built environment professionals. The study is aimed at assessing the impact of building decay on indoor spaces and to prove an architectural solution that will ameliorate building decay and its impact on indoor spaces in the study area. The study adopted a mixed-methods research approach using a concurrent triangulation design for data collection. The study employed purposive and simple random sampling techniques to select two (2) neighborhoods (Port Harcourt Township and Elekahia) and respondents for the collection of data, with a total of 341 respondents sampled. Structured interview questionnaire and key informant methods were used to collect data from the respondents, including building occupants, professionals in the built environment, and MDAs. Physical observation and photography were also used to characterize building decay and indoor space in the buildings of the study area. The study found that early building decay amongst residential building has resulted to a reduction in the usable space, difficulty operating components, such as doors and windows, damp interior, reduced occupants satisfaction, increase risk of accident and reduction in the overall architectural values of the building, It was concluded that, the design approach and choice of materials, neglect and delay attitude of government, private owners and occupants in carrying-out maintenance, the impact of climatic elements and anthropogenic activities on the building component and materials are the major factors responsible for early building decay amongst residential buildings that resulted to limitation and unhealthy indoor spaces in residential buildings in the study area The following recommendations are made are to trained artisans should be used during project execution, and finally all parties responsible for the building repairs and maintenance should be educated on the implication of neglect and delay attitude

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1. UN-Habitat. Global housing strategy: first report, regional reviews and global assessment of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000. Framework document. Nairobi: UN-Habitat, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch; 2012.
2. Ogunoh PE. Maintenance of public estates in Akwa, Anambra State: a case study of Iyiagu and Real Housing Estate [M.Sc thesis]. Akwa, Nigeria: Nnamdi Azikiwe University; 2008.
3. Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria/Nigerian Institute of Building (CORBON/NIOB). Builders Conference Annual General Meeting; 2014; Abuja.
4. Odoanyanwu NM, Kosisochukwu EC, Emmanuel IK. Investigation of factors responsible for the deterioration of building structures in tertiary institutions. GSC Adv Res Rev. 2021.
5. Peter OA, Ezekiel AC, Paul OO. Design of a sustainable building: conceptual framework for implementing sustainability in the building sector. 2012.
6. Robertsen E. Design for durability – a practical approach. Ottawa, Canada: Institute for Research in Construction; 1999. p. 2107–2117.
7. Saranya T, Akansha M. A study on the level of dilapidation in existing apartment buildings in urban areas and proposing suitable remedial measures. Int J Civil Eng Technol. 2017;8(5):113–121.
8. Andy N. Deterioration assessment of buildings using an improved hybrid model updating approach and long-term health monitoring data. Struct Health Monit. 2019;18(1):5–19.
9. Charles DSM. Reflection of an architect: dynamics of architecture. Lagos, Nigeria: ALFATOA Communications; 2022.
10. Izomoh SO, Olomu JI. The effects of poor architectural design and poor application of appropriate technology on the health of the occupants of residential buildings (the Nigerian situation). Built Environ J Int Inst Build Res. 2005;1(1):3.
11. Nor HI, Afaq HC, Ahmad R. Implications of design deficiency on building maintenance at post-occupational stage. J Build Apprais. 2007;2(3).
12. Maria-Margarita M. The deterioration mechanisms of building materials and innovative ways to conserve them: Case study: the medieval town of Rhodes [dissertation]. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh; 2015.
13. Moncmanova A. Environmental factors that influence the deterioration of materials. WIT Trans State Art Sci Eng. 2007;28.
14. Stephen E, Christopher AG. Barry’s introduction to construction of buildings. 2nd ed. Oxford, UK: Wiley and Blackwell; 2010.
15. Duncan M, Derek W, Rogers H. Understanding housing defects. 2nd ed. Glasgow, UK: Bell & Bain Ltd.; 2003.

Residential buildings, when provided, are expected to satisfy design requirements and stay in a healthy, sustainable, and safe condition within their lifespan before the issue of decay sets in. But in recent times, the issues of early decay of residential building components and materials resulting in limitation in usable indoor spaces in residential buildings in Port Harcourt Municipality have become a source of concern to building owners, occupants, and the built environment professionals. The study is aimed at assessing the impact of building decay on indoor spaces and to prove an architectural solution that will ameliorate building decay and its impact on indoor spaces in the study area. The study adopted a mixed-methods research approach using a concurrent triangulation design for data collection. The study employed purposive and simple random sampling techniques to select two (2) neighborhoods (Port Harcourt Township and Elekahia) and respondents for the collection of data, with a total of 341 respondents sampled. Structured interview questionnaire and key informant methods were used to collect data from the respondents, including building occupants, professionals in the built environment, and MDAs. Physical observation and photography were also used to characterize building decay and indoor space in the buildings of the study area. The study found that early building decay amongst residential building has resulted to a reduction in the usable space, difficulty operating components, such as doors and windows, damp interior, reduced occupants satisfaction, increase risk of accident and reduction in the overall architectural values of the building, It was concluded that, the design approach and choice of materials, neglect and delay attitude of government, private owners and occupants in carrying-out maintenance, the impact of climatic elements and anthropogenic activities on the building component and materials are the major factors responsible for early building decay amongst residential buildings that resulted to limitation and unhealthy indoor spaces in residential buildings in the study area The following recommendations are made are to trained artisans should be used during project execution, and finally all parties responsible for the building repairs and maintenance should be educated on the implication of neglect and delay attitude

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. UN-Habitat. Global housing strategy: first report, regional reviews and global assessment of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000. Framework document. Nairobi: UN-Habitat, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch; 2012.
2. Ogunoh PE. Maintenance of public estates in Akwa, Anambra State: a case study of Iyiagu and Real Housing Estate [M.Sc thesis]. Akwa, Nigeria: Nnamdi Azikiwe University; 2008.
3. Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria/Nigerian Institute of Building (CORBON/NIOB). Builders Conference Annual General Meeting; 2014; Abuja.
4. Odoanyanwu NM, Kosisochukwu EC, Emmanuel IK. Investigation of factors responsible for the deterioration of building structures in tertiary institutions. GSC Adv Res Rev. 2021.
5. Peter OA, Ezekiel AC, Paul OO. Design of a sustainable building: conceptual framework for implementing sustainability in the building sector. 2012.
6. Robertsen E. Design for durability – a practical approach. Ottawa, Canada: Institute for Research in Construction; 1999. p. 2107–2117.
7. Saranya T, Akansha M. A study on the level of dilapidation in existing apartment buildings in urban areas and proposing suitable remedial measures. Int J Civil Eng Technol. 2017;8(5):113–121.
8. Andy N. Deterioration assessment of buildings using an improved hybrid model updating approach and long-term health monitoring data. Struct Health Monit. 2019;18(1):5–19.
9. Charles DSM. Reflection of an architect: dynamics of architecture. Lagos, Nigeria: ALFATOA Communications; 2022.
10. Izomoh SO, Olomu JI. The effects of poor architectural design and poor application of appropriate technology on the health of the occupants of residential buildings (the Nigerian situation). Built Environ J Int Inst Build Res. 2005;1(1):3.
11. Nor HI, Afaq HC, Ahmad R. Implications of design deficiency on building maintenance at post-occupational stage. J Build Apprais. 2007;2(3).
12. Maria-Margarita M. The deterioration mechanisms of building materials and innovative ways to conserve them: Case study: the medieval town of Rhodes [dissertation]. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh; 2015.
13. Moncmanova A. Environmental factors that influence the deterioration of materials. WIT Trans State Art Sci Eng. 2007;28.
14. Stephen E, Christopher AG. Barry’s introduction to construction of buildings. 2nd ed. Oxford, UK: Wiley and Blackwell; 2010.
15. Duncan M, Derek W, Rogers H. Understanding housing defects. 2nd ed. Glasgow, UK: Bell & Bain Ltd.; 2003.