Deconstructing Heat Stress: Communicating Bottom-Up Heat Stress Resilience for Self-build Housing in Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, heat stress is responsible for significant health complications and loss of lives. Rising temperatures in the country are exacerbated by unbridled anthropogenic activities including deforestation, poor urban planning, and urbanization. Low-income households, single mother led households, and households with the elderly and/or people with disabilities, are especially vulnerable to heat stress because of their limited response to unreliable & failing energy infrastructure in the country. Consequently, to mitigate heat stress, many households heavily utilize gas- powered generators and mechanical cooling systems, which unfortunately contribute to both high energy burden amongst low-income households and increased environmental pollution. Adapting to heat stress is paramount in saving lives and reducing significant costs. It is especially important, as a large part of the populace develop and build their own homes in a widely practiced process called self-building. Fortunately, a systematic approach to literature review of over 40 ethnographic peer reviewed literature determined successful bottom-up heat stress resilience strategies used by households in tropical global south, such as in informal settlements. However, successfully disseminating these findings to self-builders in Nigeria would encounter challenges. Although some of these design solutions are local knowledge in other regions of the global south, they may be unfamiliar to self-builders in Nigeria; thereby, requiring steep learning curves for households–many with limited formal education– to effectively incorporate these bottom-up strategies in their housing. Furthermore, there is a communication barrier due to the multiple languages, nomenclature, and subcultures in the country. To address these challenges, this research study used participatory design through focus groups involving a cross section of Nigerian self-builders, to develop a step-by- step design guide using nontechnical descriptors (visuals, illustrations, jargon) to break down complex and technical architecture and engineering designs. This paper highlights findings from the participatory design sessions which will be evaluated through inductive analysis to determine themes on the ‘best’ design elements for the guidebook, communication” “methods, and effective learning techniques for self-builders in this region. The paper will also provide insight on performing participatory design sessions in countries within the global south, and the methods for promoting stakeholder engagement while navigating different subcultural, socioeconomic, and language boundaries.