AFRICA HABITAT REVIEW

Editorial Board

Robert Rukwaro — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:55:45 +0000

The Africa Habitat Review Journal strives to impart knowledge and facilitate exchange of ideas among stakeholders in the built environment to keep abreast of new technology, research and development so that they can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their services. Further, it is intended to enable both academicians and non-academicians in the built environment to publish, lobby and influence policy formulation. The Journal links theory and practice in the built environment within the Kenyan, regional and International context.

Content

Robert Rukwaro — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:12:27 +0000

VOLUME 19 ISSUE 3 (DECEMBER, 2024)

CONTENT

VII Editorial

Prof. Robert W. Rukwaro

3046 Relaxation of Plot Ratio and Lot Size and the Triggering of Gentrification in

the Industrial Area of Nairobi

Mildred Ambani, Elizabeth Wamuchiru, Jeremiah Ayonga and Margaret Ngayu

3062 Construction Timber Waste Management as a Circular Economy Resource:

A Case of Affordable Housing in Kenya

Stephen Nyakondo Nyang’au, Duncan O. Mbuge, Daniel Mutuli Amedi, Ben Mati

and Collince Vodohi

3076 Reduction of Thermally Induced Cracks in Asphalt Using Thermochromatic

Pigments in the Asphalt

Simon Kabocho Kang’ethe, Osano Simpson Nyambane, Paul Gacheru Macharia

and Sixtus Kinyua Mwea

3092 Disaggregated Mental Health Enhancing Features of the Urban Built

Environment:

A Critical Interpretive Re-Consideration

Onyoyo Barry Michael, Nkatha G. Lynda, Mukeku Joseph Mukeku and Mbwayo

Anne

Editorial

Robert Rukwaro — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:21:35 +0000

EDITORIAL

Industrial Space Gentrification, Health Built Environment and Efficient

Design of Road Pavement

Welcome to the Nineteenth Volume 3^rd Issue of the Africa Habitat Review-Journal of the Faculty of Built Environment and Design. This issue has presented critically analysed papers on issues relating Industrial space gentrification, health built environment and efficient design of road pavement.

The article on “Relaxation of Plot Ratio and Lot Size and the Triggering of Gentrification in the Industrial Area of Nairobi” examined the processes of spatial development plans and zoning policies and how they led systematically to gentrification in the industrial area of Nairobi. The key informants’ interviews and field surveys were conducted to complement the findings. The paper established that gentrification in the industrial area of Nairobi is mainly policy-led through the rationalization of plot ratio and increased densities, which inadvertently led to opportunities in real estate development and other forms of land uses. The article recommended redevelopment of the industrial area of Nairobi through regularization to include mixed-use development and implementation of existing development plans.

Construction Timber Waste Management as a Circular Economy Resource: A Case of Affordable Housing in Kenya is an article that focussed on the inefficiencies and under-utilization of resources by construction projects. Timber is one of the key inputs for construction projects that if not properly managed results in project failure. This article adopted a cross-sectional survey design and targeted a sample of 73 project managers in six affordable housing projects located in Nairobi and its environs. Stratified sampling technique was applied by grouping the respondents as per project. A drop-and-pick later technique was used to collect data; thereafter appropriated statistical techniques such as regression and correlation were conducted to validate the hypothesis. The article established that technical, organizational, social, legal and environmental factors had positive influence on construction timber waste management in affordable housing projects in Nairobi. The article further established that proper community engagement especially employing the gender card in construction timber waste management contributed towards success and sustainable construction projects. The article recommended adoption of modular construction methods for mass production of affordable housing units, use of design visualization tools e.g. BIM, industry regulators such as NEMA and NCA to conduct capacity building programs on needs and methodologies for sustainable construction, promote gender equity on construction sites, enhance management controls for timber products procurement and finally legislation and enforcement of policies on accessibility and proximity to government recycling facilities.

Reduction of Thermally Induced Cracks in Asphalt Using Thermos-chromatic Pigments in the Asphalt is an article that establish the significance of adding pigment in the design mix of asphalt concrete by using thermos-chromatic pigments. Four samples of asphalt concrete containing paint, dye, neat and pigmented were prepared and its volumetric properties established. The degree in which each of the sample reflected away solar radiation was tested by exposing all the four samples to the environment under direct solar radiation and the amount of solar radiation that each of them absorbed were measured and recorded. The pigmented was mixed after test registered the lowest temperature change as compared to the other mix. The article recommends addition of pigment as additive at 25% of the bitumen weight and 25% pigments during the design mix of asphalt concrete to assist in reflecting away the solar reflectance of the pavement.

The articles Disaggregated Mental Health Enhancing Features of the Urban Built Environment: A Critical Interpretive Re-Consideration focused on street setting elements and relooks at these measures at the elemental level to present a disaggregated analysis of what was being measured within these constructs. The article presented a causal loop diagram to tease out the interactions between the elements to present an ecological perspective of the interaction between the elements and mental health. The objective of the article was through a critical interpretive synthesis to link the opportunities of enhancing mental health to the features of urban streets by generating a causal loop diagram. The article established that scale played a key role in the conceptualization of constructs and recommended use of the most practical lowest scale to allow a multi-scale analysis.

Relaxation of Plot Ratio and Lot Size and the Triggering of Gentrification in the Industrial Area of Nairobi

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Industrial gentrification as defined by Smith is the movement of capital driven by the growing difference between the potential value of inner urban properties and their underlying land values (Smith, 1979; Lees, 2018; Smith, 2007). To shed light on the processes and interests at play, this paper establishes how spatial development plans and zoning policies systematically led to gentrification in the industrial area of Nairobi. To do this, the paper employs an extensive literature review by examining various spatial development plans and policies that have been implemented in the industrial area of Nairobi since the 1948 Master Plan to date. Key informant interviews and field surveys were conducted to complement the findings. The paper illustrates that gentrification in the industrial area of Nairobi is mainly policy-led through the rationalization of plot ratio and increased densities, which inadvertently led to opportunities in real estate development and other forms of land uses. The study recommends redevelopment of the industrial area of Nairobi through regularization to include mixed-use development and implementation of existing development plans.

Construction Timber Waste Management as a Circular Economy Resource:

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:21:10 +0000

Construction projects are key economic stimulus with creation of jobs and attraction of investors. These projects suffer inefficiencies and under-utilization of resources. Timber is one of the key inputs for construction projects that if not properly managed results in project failure. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and targeted a sample of 73 project managers in six affordable housing projects located in Nairobi and its environs. Stratified sampling technique was applied by grouping the respondents as per project. A drop-and-pick later technique was used to collect data; thereafter appropriated statistical techniques such as regression and correlation were conducted to validate the hypothesis. The study established that technical, organizational, social, legal & environmental factors had positive influence on construction timber waste management in affordable housing projects in Nairobi. The study further inferred that proper community engagement especially employing the gender card in construction timber waste management contributed towards success and sustainable construction projects. The study recommended adoption of modular construction methods for mass production of affordable housing units, use of design visualization tools e.g. BIM, industry regulators such as NEMA and NCA to conduct capacity building programs on need and methodologies for sustainable construction, promote gender equity on construction sites, enhance management controls for timber products procurement and finally legislation & enforcement of policies on accessibility and proximity to government recycling facilities.

Reduction of Thermally Induced Cracks in Asphalt Using Thermochromatic Pigments in the Asphalt

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this research was to establish the significance of adding pigment in the design mix of asphalt concrete. This was achieved using Thermochromatic pigments. Four samples of asphalt concrete containing paint, dye, neat and pigmented were prepared and its volumetric properties established. The degree in which each of the sample was capable of reflecting away solar radiation were however tested by exposing all the four samples to the environment under direct solar radiation and the amount of solar radiation that each of them absorbed were measured and recorded. The pigmented mix after testing registered the lowest temperature change as compared to the other mix. It was therefore recommended that it is very prudent to add the pigment as additive at 25% of the bitumen weight and 25% pigments during the design mix of asphalt concrete as it will assist in reflecting away the solar reflectance of the pavement.

Disaggregated Mental Health Enhancing Features of the Urban Built Environment:

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A growing number of scientific research has linked the built environment to mental health and well-being, most use aggregated definitions of built environment measures that however do not lend themselves to comparison. The study conducted a critical interpretive synthesis of built environment constructs as used in studies that relate the built environment to mental health. The study focuses on street setting elements and relooks at these measures at the elemental level to present a disaggregated analysis of what is being measured within these constructs. The study presents a causal loop diagram to tease out the interactions between the elements to present an ecological perspective of the interaction between the elements and mental health. The objective of the study is through a critical interpretive synthesis to link the opportunities of enhancing mental health to the features of urban streets by generating a causal loop diagram. The study found that scale plays a key role in the conceptualization of constructs and recommends use of the most practical lowest scale to allow a multi scale analysis.