Abstract
Architectural technology practice in Nigeria is influenced on the one hand by the drive to adopt technologically advanced techniques aimed at providing solutions to the existing challenges within the built environment, and on the other hand by constantly emerging socio-economic variables associated with high population growth, urban migration and resultant housing demands. From the outset of the drawing proposal to the entire lifespan of buildings, innovative developments in building information modelling (BIM) have enabled architectural technologists attain sustainable feats in the building industry. This study examined the curriculum for BIM training in polytechnics domiciled in Southeast Nigeria and the impact on sustainable development practice within the region. Sixtythree (63) architectural firms and three (3) polytechnics were randomly selected for this study. The survey research design was adopted in this study: two sets of structured questionnaires were administered to architectural technology graduates and their employers. 130 copies of questionnaire were administered to graduates of the institutions. The study revealed that 96% of the graduates had acquired some level of BIM proficiency; 56% acquired it from school, while 40% indicated it was acquired in practice after graduation. The result of correlation analysis showed that correlation between practice performance of technologists and proficiency in BIM is significant (p<0.01). The results of regression coefficients showed that proficiency in BIM had significant correlation with practice performance of the graduates. The study showed that course contents for courses in computer application did not extensively provide opportunities for graduates to acquire relevant skills. A robust review of the curriculum is needed to produce technically efficient technologists that can tackle the demands of the built environment for sustainable development to thrive.
Highlights
Unless housing is sustainable, the society remains unstable and in discord with nature [1]
The study is comprised of three (3) research populations namely: five (5) polytechnics that offer NBTE- accredited architectural technology programmes and are spread across the five states that make up Southeast zone; architectural technologists that graduated from the institutions and are in professional practice; and their employers in registered architectural firms domiciled within the zone
The extent of the responses across available categories were specified as aggregated data obtained from the departments of the sampled Polytechnics and presented in percentages (%) as follows: The results of analysis on aggregated data on Name of Polytechnic (NOP) revealed that the largest proportions of the respondents were drawn from Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State; this was closely followed by respondents drawn from Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo state
Summary
The society remains unstable and in discord with nature [1]. Critical is the fact that Nigeria has not recorded any noteworthy milestone targeted at ameliorating the housing shortages [4; 5] This raises deep concerns for both architectural technology education and professional practice which remain at the centre of service delivery in the building industry. Advanced building technologies like mass production of pre-fabricated building types, which target efficient mass housing delivery have not been harnessed, as approximately nine (9) out of ten (10) buildings in Nigeria are still built in-situ using sandcrete blocks [7] This means that the relevant innovative building technologies that drive down cost and encourage production of affordable mass housing units that are urgently needed in the Nigerian situation are not explored generally
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