The Application of Environmental Sustainability Approach (EIA) to Infrastructural Development in Federal Capital City (FCC) Abuja, Nigeria

Sustainable construction is becoming a major approach to urban infrastructural development. However, there is inadequate research in Nigeria to evaluate the application of the principles of sustainability in infrastructural projects development for environmental sustainability. Thus, this study aimed to assess the application of environmental sustainability approach (EIA) in infrastructural development in Federal Capital City (FCC) Abuja, Nigeria. The objectives were to: investigate the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents; examine the level of integration of sustainability in infrastructure construction in FCC Abuja and to identify factors that constrain sustainability integration into infrastructural development in FCC Abuja. Data were collected using questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. Purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used to select 382 professionals from FCDA and six construction companies in FCC. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Factor Analysis and presented in tables. Results show that Majority of the construction firms carry out EIA on large construction as over three quarter (78.31%) affirmed that EIA is carried out in large project. Only few (10.24%) disagree, while 11.15% don’t have ideas about the application. Challenges of sustainable construction are related to knowledge/capacity (34.56%), Concept (25.88%), Finance (23.42%) and interest (16.13%). It was concluded that application of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in infrastructural development is not the issue, but the implementation and monitoring. Effort on sustainability integration into infrastructural development should be channeled towards implementation of environmental management plans.