Evaluation of sustainability of use of timber as temporary supports in the housing construction industry, (case of Mbarara municipality).

Abstract

The housing industry is growing at a fast. rate meaning that more timber will be required to support this sector. It is visibly clear that the demand for timber in form of bush poles, bolts and planks is already growing and exceeds the supply which will also affect the environment. The study sought. to evaluate the sustainability of using. timber as temporary supports in the housing construction industry in Mbarara Municipality. The objectives of the study were to establish the temporary supports used, quantity consumed and reasons for selection of preferred temporary supports used for construction at different housing construction sites in Mbarara Municipality, to evaluate the economic costs of using named preferred temporary supports compared to the alternatives temporary supports in housing construction at different sites and determine housing contractors' and other stakeholders' in housing construction industry willingness engage in tree growing practices for poles production. The sample size of 60 construction sites and respondents was used in the study. It was found out that the housing construction industry was currently relying on wood temporary structures as they were flexible to use and. easily found. In utilizing the wood temporary supports, it was discovered some challenges that included inadequate length, sizes and quality of bush pales and sawn timber because these are cut when they are young; escalating prices due to scarcity of the timber coupled with increasing demand and the long distances as the timber is obtained from deeper villages far away from the Municipality, were being faced. It also was Found out that metal temporary supports even though they have high initial costs, are the best possible alternatives to wood temporary supports, as they would provide a lasting solution given that they are very strong and durable which enables their re-use many times unlike wood temporary supports that are re-used only once with support from fresh wood supports as they lose their strength due to hitting, climatic factors and getting sticky with the concrete that requires lot of strength to pull them off after it has dried and splitting. Stake holders in the housing construction industry were also found to have the willingness to participate in the tree conservation activities of their preferred species such as planting woodlots, raising tree and many others In conclusion, a combination of metal and wood temporary supports should be taken on board for this growing industry. Any storied housings can use metal temporary supports most especially storied housings exceeding 2 storeys while bungalows and small storied housing of 2 storeys would use wood temporary supports.