Factors influencing effective implementation of appropriate building technologies and materials. A case of appropriate building technologies and materials trained community based organizations and individuals in Coast Province

Abstract

Appropriate Building Technologies and Materials (ABT &M) refers to building processes, materials and tools that are cost-effective, safe, innovative, green/environmentally friendly as well as acceptable to the climate, socio-economic conditions, and natural resources of an area. It uses soil as its major ingredient. This study aimed at establishing the factors influencing effective implementation of Appropriate Building Technologies and Materials (ABT & M) for reduced cost of construction leading to improved housing situation in Coast province as guided by the following five specific objectives, how training on ABT & M, cost and conception of construction materials, access to equipments and transport cost influences improvement of housing situation

The literature review looked at how training on ABT & M helps in dissemination of ABT & M as well as create awareness on the availability of these technologies. It also looked at how access to ABT & M equipments, the cost of construction materials, the conception on the quality of ABT & M building blocks as well as how transport affects the implementation of ABT & M in Coast Province. The research used design was I such a way that, simple random sampling was applied in each of the trained groups (stratum) in counties in Coast province.

The sample size was determined by adopting the recommendations ofNkapa (1997) that for a population which runs in to thousands, the sample size should be in the range of 5% to 20%, but for a population that runs in hundreds the sample size should be 50% The size of the target population was 195, and 50% of this population was 98 people. To ensure data validity and reliability, the researcher conducted a pre test of the data collection instrument among the trained individuals of Modem Technology Youth Contractors with the aim of ensuring that, the questions were well understood by all the respondents.

Likewise, simple random sampling in each of the trained groups was conducted to ensure that, each respondent had an equal opportunity to be included in the study. The study established that, trainings cost of construction materials as well as the transport factor to a large extent helps in the implementation of ABT & m. The greatest impediment to the effective implementation of the technologies was cited as inadequate access to the ABT & M equipments. This study therefore recommends that, more equipments as well as a wide dissemination strategy for these Technologies is needed. More documentation of the available ABT & M is required so as to disseminate this information to users.