Eco-friendly construction materials and health benefits in the health resort

What is it about?

Health resort designs are health sanctuaries and a conducive treatment, healing, and wellness environment. In providing a health and wellness-beneficial environment, the material selection choices by health resort designers should conform to certain minimum specifications and standards. On this premise and SDG-based selection criteria, the study aims to investigate eco-friendly construction materials and their health benefits in an all-inclusive health resort design proposed for Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This study addressed three key objectives—ascertaining the physical architectural features of health resorts, assessing the eco-friendly building material contribution to SDG attainment, and identifying the health benefits of eco-friendly building materials in the health resort. The researchers engaged the qualitative research method for the study, using a case study technique as a qualitative research design/strategy. The authors used three health resorts across three countries in the global south; China, India, and Brazil. The data collection instruments include; an in-depth interview guide In-depth Interviews (IDI), a direct observation guide, a checklist of green construction materials for health facilities and a qualitative photo-production study based on the essential features of a health resort checklist. Findings show that eco-friendly materials may be best suited for both exterior and interior works of health resort facilities. Wood, stone and concrete are the most preferred materials as they occur across all three case studies. The results align with current global trends towards eco-beneficial facilities. Adopting natural materials such as wood and stone for the Port Harcourt health resort would be expedient, given the health benefits inherent in using such eco-friendly materials and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SGD 11 and 13).

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Why is it important?

Buildings are the foundations of cities and communities, so building materials are vital to long-term sustainability. Sourcing building materials should be with consideration for minimal negative impacts on the environment and the health of its people. Eco-friendly building materials influence the actualisation of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (UN SDGs). The UN SDGs are towards improved Quality of Life and healthy/safe environments. Several materials’ empirical works have established links between eco-friendly building materials and eco-design contributions to healthy/safe environments and the resident’s quality of life across various localities. In establishing this connection, the building's material composition is of primary relevance. Hence, this study assessed a Health Resort facilities case study to determine the best eco-friendly construction material choices for a health resort in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Since SDGs’ target today is reducing carbon emissions, stopping global warming and hitting Net Zero by 2050, the eco-friendly building material, construction and eco-design must be at issue in the built environment. Buildings must be eco-friendly (i.e., reusable and offer decent indoor environments) and aid the actualisation of the SDGs

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