DETERMINANTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF CONDOMINIUM HOUSING PROJECTS IN ADDIS ABABA

Abstract

The growth rate of Addis Ababa’s population has resulted in a chronic housing problem expressed in the growing slums, unsanitary living conditions and a degraded environment. The condominium housing project launched by the government in addressing this problem, even though it stands to save the city of worse environmental deterioration, has used the open and green spaces of the city; and being solely directed to solve the housing backlog, may lack environmental sustainability initiatives. The purpose of this study therefore was to investigate the perceived reasons for influencing environmental sustainability of condominium housing projects in Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa, where the study was conducted, is the largest city in Ethiopia with a great influx of people and high demand for housing. As such, environmental challenges resulting from Condominium housing projects are many. To accomplish its purpose, three sites – the Bole Gerji, the Gofa Mebrathaile and the Milifoni– were selected as case study samples. The study was a descriptive research as it investigated the perceived reasons for influencing environmental sustainability of condominium housing projects Therefore, a cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used for the collection and analysis of data. Methods of collecting data included questionnaires, interview schedules and observation. The data collected was analyzed by a mixed method of data analysis comprising both qualitative and quantitative methods. Recommendations were made and some conclusions were drawn from the results of the study. The questions asked design to discover how aware of environmental issues such as global warming and climate change the dwellers were. The results show that though dwellers are educated and aware of the issues of global warming and climate change, they have not taken the most optimal environmental sustainable measures they could. i.e., the long-term impacts of the measures taken to meet their immediate needs. The results from the site observations show that most open spaces are not used according to the original design; that the design was lacking in areas that could contribute positively to good indoor air quality and to the health and comfort of the dwellers; and that the materials used in construction are not durable. After the sites were delivered to the dwellers, in general, it can be said that successful environmental sustainability concepts undertaken by them are limited to greening their immediate surroundings.