A PROPOSED RICE MILL WITH EMPHASIS TO CIRCULATION PATTERN AT OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.

The demand for rice sales and consumption in Nigeria has been on an increase due to increasing population, urbanization and changing consumer preferences. The resulting effect has been increased importation of rice into the country, since there is hardly any tribe or state where it is being consumed consequently straining foreign exchange accounts due to the limitation of diversification of the economy other than crude oil. At the moment, Nigeria is not looking at lifting off the ban placed on the importation of rice since 2016 from Benin and from Thailand. However, the local production output makes about 5million metric tonnes, which still falls short for the estimated demand of the 9.5 million metric tonnes of rice from her over 200 million citizens, relying on the remaining 4.5million metric tonnes from importation. New rice varieties that are high yielding have been introduced in the country to improve national supply, save wetlands, fight food insecurity and improve the incomes of the citizens. This study was conducted in South Western Nigeria, Ogun state to be specific. It examined whether the Rice mills were technically efficient in input use of technology to generate the required output levels considering its circulation pattern through its production processes from the intake stage to final output. This is achieved by proposing an environmentally sustainable and energy efficient building using the principles of circulation which ultimately will require less energy as well as the incorporation of the natural elements thereby conserving the natural life cycle of rice. This project spells out how much the building industry has great impact on rice production and the environment. Due to the long hours of operation of the facility, energy is bound to be greatly consumed, but within the proposal is how through proper circulation pattern, energy efficiency can be conserved, renewed and reused to attain maximum output year in year out. Respondents however, were randomly selected using a sampling frame generated online and as well case studies. For the efficiency of rice processing to meet demands, time and labor-saving technologies need to be introduced along with improved management practices, resistance to biotic and abiotic stress for workers and staff, composite packaging of rice and notably, tackling these problems through architecture by embracing circulation through all the spaces and facilities in the design.