Exploring expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a sustainable and cost-effective construction material for quality housing in Nigeria

Nigeria’s severe housing deficit demands affordable, sustainable alternatives. This study investigates expanded polystyrene (EPS) as an innovative, eco-friendly alternative for quality housing delivery. It explores the use of EPS-based buildings as an alternative to conventional ones through a case study on two estates in Ogun State, Nigeria. Bills of quantity, structural analysis, and interviewing building experts and stakeholders were used to generate the data. Findings show that EPS reduces the cost of construction, dead loads, and material utilization while enhancing structural efficiency and thermal insulation. However, issues still exist in the form of limited supplies of skilled labour and industry experience in using EPS. Policy measures such as awareness creation, vocational training, and regulatory encouragement are recommended to encourage uptake. The study offers new empirical insights on the pragmatic feasibility of EPS, highlighting its capability to facilitate sustainable, cost-effective housing options in Nigeria. It calls for greater research to evaluate EPS’s overall performance within entire building systems and in varied contexts towards national and global sustainability goals.