Impact of Climate on the Environment: Effect of Driving Rain on Buildings and Monuments in Port Harcourt, South-South Nigeria

Abstract

This work is an attempt to understand the effect of climate in an environment, therefore the effect of driving rain on buildings and on monuments is considered a case study. The study area is Port Harcourt Metropolis, a subequatorial climate environment, located in southern part of Nigeria. The study made use of questionnaire, and response were analyse using a descriptive statistical tool (simple percentage and pie chart). The study observed among other things that driving rain defaces buildings and monuments. Furthermore majority of those interviewed are of the opinion that driving rain has made them spend more money in building and monument maintenance as the case may be. It was also observed that driving rain contributes to rill erosion within and around buildings and monuments. The study also finds out that driving rain affects the strength of buildings negatively, and that electrical appliance can also be affected. This work suggests among other things, that water resistance paints and material should be used on buildings and monuments. The windward side of buildings should be designed in a way that the effect of driving rain should be minimal on the wall or windows. Furthermore, materials like books, cloths and other weather sensitive materials should be kept away from the damp windward side of the rooms. This implies that wardrobes should not be fixed or constructed in the windward side of the building. The study suggested that strong materials and standard specification of concrete mixture and standard original materials should be used in building construction especially in a humid environment like Port Harcourt metropolis. Finally, geographical factors need to be considered before building construction and professionals should be engaged in the business of building of houses and monuments construction to avoid collapse and damages.