Many human activities are carried out in buildings, suggesting that the contribution of buildings to global warming is significant. This study examines the awareness of property managers (estate ...surveyors and valuers) about the potential benefits of vertical greenery systems (VGSs) on buildings. The questionnaire for the study was administered online to property managers working with registered estate surveying and valuation firms operating in Lagos. On firm basis, a total of 282 property managers working for the firms were considered. Of this total, 127 responded to the questionnaire, but 121 (representing 42.9%) were of use in the analysis of data. The data were analyzed using the fuzzy synthetic evaluation method. The result showed that property managers were generally less aware, with an overall awareness level of 2.60. Further analysis showed that the property managers were less aware of the benefits of VGSs on buildings. The levels of awareness of the property managers about VGSs' environmental benefits, social benefits, and economic benefits are 2.65, 2.58, and 2.53 respectively. We conclude that an improvement in the level of awareness of the property managers would assist in the formulation of policies by the government towards the achievement of SDGs.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose>The study analysed the factors influencing real estate firms' (REFs) decision to adopt virtual reality (VR) technology using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) ...method. This was done to enhance the practice of real estate agency in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach>Data were elicited from eight real estate experts. These experts were heads of the agency department of firms that had been in existence for a minimum of five years in the Lagos property market. The data analysed in this study were collected with the aid of a questionnaire.Findings>The result revealed that use intention was influenced by performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value and UB. Also, facilitating conditions, habit and use intention did not influence use behaviour. Overall, six constructs, which include price value (Ri − Cj value = 0.1284), use behaviour (Ri − Cj value = 0.0666), social influence (Ri − Cj value = 0.0583), facilitating conditions (Ri − Cj value = 0.0323), performance expectancy (Ri − Cj value = 0.0196) and effort expectancy (Ri − Cj value = 0.0116), were significant predictors of the factors influencing the decision of REFs to adopt VR. Of these constructs, the Ri − Cj values indicated that price value had the highest causative influence.Practical implications>The result of this study will bring REFs to the consciousness of the factors that could affect their adoption of VR technology. This study will also assist the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in appropriately enlightening REFs on the integration of VR technology into the agency practice especially at this time when all health protocols and guidelines need to be observed to help flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic.Originality/value>This study is the first to have an insight into the analysis of the factors influencing REFs' decision to adopt VR technology using the DEMATEL method.
PurposeStudents are the hub of activities in an academic environment, and their satisfaction with the performance of educational facilities cannot be overemphasised. Therefore, this study evaluated ...the post-occupation of students' halls of residence in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria with a view to enhancing effective management of educational facilities.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 245 students who were selected using simple random sampling technique. The study adopted descriptive statistical tools such as mean, standard deviation and Relative Importance Index (RII); the inferential statistical tools adopted were independent-samples t-test and Kendall Tau's correlation.FindingsThe results revealed that both genders were fairly satisfied with physical attributes, indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and social factors; while the female students were also fairly satisfied with the supporting service, the male students were fairly dissatisfied. Also, supporting services and IEQ influenced the levels of satisfaction of both genders.Practical implicationsThis study provides information which can help the management of the University and other comparative educational institutions in the proper management of students' halls of residence.Originality/valueThis study has provided insight into the satisfaction of student occupants with halls of residence based on gender differentiation.
PurposeThis study aims to analyse the criteria used in measuring the determinants of the adoption of virtual reality (VR) technology in real estate agency practice in Lagos, with a view to providing ...information with which the practice can be enhanced.Design/methodology/approachThe data for the study were elicited using a questionnaire which was administered to eight real estate firms (REFs). The firms were those that have been operating in Lagos for at least five years, and the data collected were analysed using the DEMATEL method.FindingsThe findings revealed that perceived utility and relative advantage were the most important criteria for determining REFs' performance expectancy with VR technology. The two most important criteria to measure effort expectancy were “perceived ease of use” and complexity. “Subjective norms” was the most important criterion for measuring social influence, while “perceived behavioural control” was the most important criterion to measure facilitating conditions. Under “price value”, output quality was the only significant criterion. Finally, the frequency of use, the actual number of use and the amount of time spent utilising the technology were significant for measuring the REFs' use behaviour.Practical implicationsThe study offers insights into the criteria that can assist REFs in integrating VR technology into real estate agency practice. The results are also helpful to the Nigerian real estate professional bodies to organise workshop programmes for REFs on the use of VR technology and other disruptive technologies. The results will also serve as a guide for REFs to gain a competitive advantage in this trying time of pandemic and help them measure up to global standards and the expectations of their clients.Originality/valueBefore this study, efforts have not been made to study the criteria for measuring the determinants of VR technology adoption in the Nigerian real estate agency practice.
PurposeBeyond the economic determinants, non-economic criteria of land affordability are also of great importance. From the context of emerging economies, this study investigated the affordability of ...low-cost land allocation through the lens of non-economic criteria.Design/methodology/approachGiven that the non-economic criteria considered are those related to religion and politics, data were elicited from the owners of residential plots at Redemption City and Ikosi Residential Scheme respectively in Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using statistical methods of analysis: mean and standard deviation.FindingsThe result showed that safety and comfort, quality management, proximity to market, proximity to public transportation and proximity to health facilities were the significant non-economic criteria at Redemption City. On the other hand, the non-economic criteria found to be significant at Ikosi Residential Scheme were proximity to public transport, safety and comfort, low presence of environmental problems and income ratio.Practical implicationsThis study informs the promotion of private and public partnerships towards reducing the housing deficit in emerging economies. Also, it would help in the formulation and review of land policies, which would benefit not only their members.Originality/valueThis study is among the few that have looked at the non-economic criteria of land affordability, especially in emerging economies.
PurposeThe Land Use Act of 1978 is a promoter of land occupation regardless of gender. However, the marginalisation of women in the occupation of land remains a serious concern. Hence, this study ...explored the inhibitors to women's right to occupy land in the Ajebamidele Community in Ile-Ife with a view to supporting the need for the proper implementation of land regulations.Design/methodology/approachThe data for the study were elicited from 13 women who were purposively selected. With the aid of Atlas.ti software, the study took a phenomenological approach to the analysis of the data obtained during structured interviews with the respondents.FindingsThe results revealed the factors inhibiting women's right to occupy land were unavailability of finance, education status/awareness, intrapersonal factor, custom and tradition, mode of acquisition and socio-economic characteristics.Practical implicationsLike their male counterparts, the role that women play in national development are significant. As such, the findings of this study will assist the government in the formulation of policy for the proper implementation of the current land policies and regulations.Originality/valueOnly a few attempts have been made to study the inhibitors to women's right to occupy land using the qualitative approach in emerging economies.
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Virtually all biochemical processes in the body require dietary micro‐nutrients and imbalance in any of these essential of the diet have the potential to impair metabolic activities. ...Deficiencies of several mineral nutrients result in stunting, down‐regulated immune responsiveness and altered metabolic activities. Appropriate dietary intake of these mineral nutrients is currently recommended as part of a lifestyle intervention for the prevention of many metabolism‐related health problems including obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. The present study was designed to analyse the mineral composition of local dishes that are widely consumed in Nigeria given the lack of such data. A list of local foods commonly consumed in Nigeria was generated; composite samples prepared from primary sample collected were analysed for dietary minerals using harmonized standard procedures. A set of new data on the Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Mn, Cl, Fe, Cl and Zn contents of 25 local dishes were generated for the first time in this study. Overall, there were large variations in the mineral contents of the dishes analysed, ranging from 6.3 mg/kg (Jollof rice) to 22.2 mg/kg (Yam pottage with beans) for Fe; 5.0 mg/kg (Yam with omelette) to 21.6 mg/kg (Eba with Okro soup) for Na; 7.30 mg/kg (Pounded yam with Egusi) to 19.8 mg/kg (Vegetable soup) for Ca; and 2.2 mg/kg (Yam with omelette) to 6.99 mg/kg (Eba with Okazi soup) for Mn. These data will serve as an important resource in future national and international food composition surveys, inform clinicians, health professionals and dieticians to target provision of dietary advice towards the prevention of non‐communicable metabolic diseases due to critical mineral imbalances.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•High-fat diet-fed obese rats supplemented with niacin were studied.•Visceral adiposity, lipid profile and adiponectin concentration were superior.•Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity show ...marked improvement.
The present study examined the effect of dietary niacin supplementation on fat mass, glucose control, insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and adiponectin level in diet-induced obese rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 21) were initially divided into 2 groups of seven and fourteen rats; the group of 14 rats was fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) and the other group of 7 rats consumed the control diet. Eight weeks after the diet regimen started, half of the rats from the HFD group were shifted to the niacin-supplemented diet (HFND; 1 mg niacin/kg diet) while the remaining rats continued on the HFD for another 6 weeks. Results obtained showed that HFD-fed obese rats exhibited significant increase in body weight gain, reduced glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and increased adiposity, as well as altered lipid profile after 8 weeks of feeding compared with the controls. However, niacin-supplemented rats showed reduced weight gain and body weight compared with HFD-induced obese rats even in the absence of a significant difference in the food intake among the groups in the experiment. In addition, the rats showed an improved time-course glucose control and insulin sensitivity as demonstrated by a significantly lower area under curve (AUC) values for the glucose curves. The plasma levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein (LDL) returned towards control values in rats supplemented with niacin compared with obese rats. The findings suggest that niacin exerts beneficial effect on adiposity, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and plasma lipids, and that it specifically modulates the level of serum adiponectin under obese condition.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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