Evaluation of Sustainable Design Strategies and Environmental Management Practices in Airport Terminals in Nigeria
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Abstract
Airport operations contribute significantly to environmental degradation through high energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, waste generation, water contamination, and ecological disturbance. Despite growing global emphasis on sustainable airport development, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the implementation of sustainable design and environmental management practices in Nigerian airport terminals. This study assessed the extent of sustainability implementation in selected Nigerian airports and identified key areas requiring improvement. A cross-sectional exploratory research design was adopted, combining structured questionnaire surveys and field observations. Seven operational airports, comprising both international and domestic facilities, were purposively selected for investigation. Data were collected from 61 valid respondents and analysed using descriptive statistical techniques. The assessment focused on sustainability indicators including natural lighting, natural ventilation, renewable energy integration, water conservation, waste management, emissions control, noise abatement, biodiversity conservation, and sustainability governance. The findings revealed that natural lighting and sustainable material use were widely implemented across the airports. However, natural ventilation, renewable energy adoption, and water conservation measures were poorly implemented. While waste management practices were moderately adopted, noise control measures exhibited varying levels of implementation. Respondents also identified concerns relating to emissions management, environmental pollution, and biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, international airports demonstrated stronger performance in resource conservation and environmental management practices than domestic airports. The study concludes that although awareness of sustainability principles exists within the Nigerian aviation sector, significant implementation gaps remain. It recommends increased investment in renewable energy technologies, integrated water management systems, biodiversity conservation initiatives, and stronger environmental governance to enhance the sustainability and operational efficiency of airport infrastructure in Nigeria.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sonter John Chen, Emokpae Murphy Erebor, Precious Anietie Umoren (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Sonter John Chen, Department of Architecture, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria.
Sonter John Chen is a Nigerian Chartered Architect, Researcher, PhD candidate at the Federal University of Technology, Minna and the Principal Architect at Sonjonchen Nigeria Limited. He holds a master’s degree in architecture from Covenant University and a Bachelor of Technology in Architecture from FUT Minna. His interests include sustainable buildings, lean construction and building environmental performance. He has authored publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences including Sustainable Places conference in Europe. He is an active member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and Green Building Council of Nigeria
Emokpae Murphy Erebor, Department of Architecture Bingham University, Karu, Nigeria.
Ph.D Architecture, Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture, Bingham University
Precious Anietie Umoren, Primetech Design and Engineering Nigeria Ltd, Abuja, Nigeria.
Precious Umoren received a B.Sc. Degree from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria in 2018, pursued a Master’s (M.Sc. in Architecture) from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. With over three years of architectural design practice and her current role as an Assistant Architect at Primetech Design and Engineering, she contributes to technical research and building design. She is a LEED AP and a member of the Green Building Council of Nigeria. Her academic and professional engagements involve BIM management and contextually relevant and sustainable building solutions for Nigerian cities.
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