Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows.
Across the Sahelian belt of West Africa, traditional earth architecture—exemplified by the historic earthen structures of Djenné—has long offered exceptional thermal regulation in extreme climates. However, mid-twentieth-century urban expansion precipitated a widespread transition toward imported Portland cement and corrugated iron roofing, which were widely viewed as symbols of modernity and social prestige. While concrete structures promised structural longevity, their high thermal mass absorbs and retains intense heat, necessitating energy-intensive artificial cooling solutions that overburden municipal electrical grids and amplify urban heat islands. In response to mounting energy costs and climate vulnerability, contemporary African architects are pioneering a movement that hybridizes vernacular earth construction with modern structural engineering. By stabilizing local soil into compressed earth blocks (SCEBs) and incorporating passive bio-climatic design features—such as oriented cross-ventilation, deep shading eaves, and thermal buffer zones—they are creating affordable, high-performance buildings tailored to tropical and arid zones. Nevertheless, widespread scale-up remains hampered by outdated municipal building codes that categorize unbaked earth as temporary or substandard material, alongside credit frameworks that privilege capital-intensive industrial inputs. Reclaiming and modernizing vernacular building techniques is therefore not a nostalgic retreat, but a vital structural imperative for achieving climate resilience and equitable housing in expanding African cities.
Which of the following statements best captures the central argument of the passage?
- AThe rapid expansion of West African cities mandates an immediate prohibition on imported Portland cement in favor of unbaked clay structures.
- Modernizing traditional earth architecture offers an essential pathway for sustainable African urban housing, though regulatory and financial hurdles limit its adoption.Cevap
- CConcrete structures in Sahelian cities overburden municipal electrical grids because of their high thermal mass and reliance on artificial cooling.
- DVernacular earth architecture was historically abandoned throughout the Sahel primarily because unbaked soil failed to meet structural safety standards.