Sustainable Walling in Ondo State, Nigeria: A Cost Analysis of Conventional Versus Sand-Filled Plastic Bottle Materials

The clamor for sustainability in the construction industry is not a new development, research on alternative sustainable materials led to the discovery of waste sand-filled plastic brick as an alternative walling material. This research aimed at conducting a comparative cost analysis of using conventional material and sand-filled plastic bottles for walling in Ondo State. The paper analysed the cost of using conventional material and sand-filled plastic bottles for walling, it also compared the total cost of using both materials. The required data was collected using market survey, relevant literature and construction professionals were consulted. The collected data was analysed through the process of estimating, and the result of the estimate was used to analyse the walling cost of a prototype gate house using percentile. The results showed the total cost of walling the gate house using 225mm sandcrete blocks as ₦1,296,754.21, and that of sand-filled plastic brick as ₦864,362.49. The research suggested that up to 33% (₦432,391.72) of the total walling cost could be saved when sand-filled plastic bottle is used for walling the gate house. This research recommends the adoption of sand-filled plastic bottles for mass housing as a promising alternative to conventional materials and their contribution to the emission of unwanted carbon. The study recommends the establishment of supply chain for the production and distribution of sand-filled plastic bottles, like conventional walling materials.