By presenting the overview as well as the social and environmental impacts of the construction management of so-called modern residential houses in Cameroon, this article reports on the destructive nature of this category of fashionable buildings, but also sounding the alarm on the return to basics. From the results of previous studies, this article clearly shows that the construction management system for residential houses in Cameroon is archaic due to the absence of any real regulations. Most of the construction models for residential buildings are modeled on the Northern countries, using mainly imported and residential materials but whose exploitation is a source of considerable social and environmental impacts. The use of such building materials leads to the proliferation of uneconomical, non-ecological and uncomfortable habitats. It follows people's exposure to many diseases and the destruction of the environment. The integration of sustainable construction technologies in the residential sector remains the main of means of constructing economical and ecological buildings, meeting our needs while preserving that of future generations.
Despite the abundance of sand mining sites observed in Cameroon and especially in the Western region, the recognition of the granular properties of these building materials remains a major issue for local builders. This study focuses on the characterization of granular properties of Nepenet sand. On-site sand samples were subjected to laboratory tests to determine their granular properties. Analysis results show that sands are clay (SE≈65<70%) and medium sized (2.53.6<3.5%) with negligible improvement in their cleanliness (SE≈70%). These natural sands are therefore not recommended for concretes. However, treatment by mechanical washing can make them suitable for concrete of good resistance to the detriment of the ease of implementation. Thus, the improvement of the quality of the sand lies in the installation of a washing device in order to make these materials cleaner.