Built Environment Research Outputs on Sustainable Development in Nigeria: A Call for Paradigm Shift

The consensus definition for sustainable building encompasses design, build, renovate, operate or reuse of a building in an ecological and resource- Definition commentators‘ contend should be people centred and stakeholder driven. It also underscores a form of development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Thus, what is the role of critical research in the adoption efficient manner. of sustainability as a guiding principle for building production in Nigeria? This article aims to unpack the question by evaluating three (3) decades of longitudinal data into built environment research across seven (7) foremost Nigerian universities. It is evident from qualitative analysis that 73.3 percent of the critical investigation covered cost modelling/construction economics, project performance, maintenance and human resource/ productivity. Project management and cost / finance management covered 6.7 per cent. There was no evidence of critical research in the area of sustainability. Besides a call for paradigm shift in present day research activities, the concept of sustainability, which has become a dominant policy in the developed world, needs to be enshrined. In other words, there is need to really examine the extent to which current policies and activities pertaining to sustainability in the construction industry is been integrated into built environment planning and development in Nigeria.