Assessing the Climate Resilience of Interlocking Stabilized Soil Block Buildings in Southwestern Nigeria

Climate change in tropical regions, manifested through rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, and flooding, threatens housing stock and occupant well-being. Conventional sandcrete blocks, while widely used, contribute significantly to carbon emissions and offer poor thermal performance. This thesis investigates the resilience of Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSBs) as a sustainable, climate-adaptive building alternative in tropical climates. Through a mixed-methods approach synthesizing literature, experimental data, and case studies of ISSB housing in Southwestern Nigeria, the research extends beyond the documented cost advantages (Ibitoye, 2022) to examine performance under climate stress. Findings reveal that ISSBs exhibit superior thermal mass, reducing indoor temperatures and enhancing Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) as advocated by Asaju (2022). Their inherent durability, interlocking system, and use of local laterite soil improve resistance to flood damage and enable faster recovery, while reduced cement content lowers embodied carbon, positioning ISSBs as both a mitigation and adaptation strategy. However, barriers including poor public perception and limited policy support persist. The thesis concludes that ISSB technology offers a viable pathway for climate-resilient, affordable housing in Nigeria and recommends targeted policy interventions, sensitization campaigns, and long-term performance monitoring.

Building resilience, Climate change, Climate-responsive architecture

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