Towards sustainable residential architecture in rapidly Urbanizing Nigerian cities: Insights from Ozoro

In this study, the impact of sustainable design elements on city living in Ozoro which is rapidly becoming urban, is examined. Post-occupancy evaluation surveys were carried out with 650 residents to analyze the five parameters of thermal comfort, daylighting, acoustics, functionality and appearance of the housing. About 70% of the survey respondents said they felt too warm and 86% felt their homes were not well-lit. Furthermore, the majority of the feedback showed that people care most about improved function (88.92%) and visual appearance (91.07%). This shows that current designs for homes are not meeting the standards set by sustainable development. The research adds new evidence to revealed earlier that sustainable housing should be cooled passively, feature natural light, strong acoustic insulation, rooms that can be multi-functional and a pleasant outlook. It suggests that architects should keep both people and climate in mind when creating future designs. Adherence to global standards for sustainability can enhance both city lives for people and the environment in cities across Nigeria.