Model for promoting green certification of buildings in developing nations: a case study of Nigeria
ISSN: 0263-7472
Article publication date: 31 August 2021
Issue publication date: 7 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Several studies have shown that climate change is a threat to sustainable human living and high consumption of energy by buildings is a contributory factor. However, green practices in buildings have been proved as one of the successful technologies to mitigate global warming. Previous studies have shown lax green practices in developing countries’ buildings, but how far concerning green certification of buildings in Nigeria is yet to be explored. Therefore, this paper investigated the barriers to green certification of buildings (GCB). Also, the paper proposed a model for promoting GCB in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
Eighteen experts with green building certification knowledge were engaged across three of Nigeria’s cities (Benin City, Abuja and Lagos) via scheduled WhatsApp video and teams calls. Collated interview data were analysed and presented in themes.
Findings
Findings show that there is an absence of a framework to promote GCB in Nigeria. Hence, GCB is low across the states. Twelve main sub-themes emerged as the barriers to GCB in Nigeria. Also, eight key sub-themes emerged as the possible concepts that can be used to improve GCB in Nigeria and formulated into a proposed framework to promote GCB in Nigeria.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to GCB in Nigeria and only 18 participants were engaged. Thus, this paper suggests that a mixed-methods approach should be conducted in future studies with wider coverage. This may assist to validate the paper’s findings.
Practical implications
Findings from this paper will stir up practitioners in green building and influence the promotion of GCB in the sector. As part of this study’s implications, suggestions through the paper’s proposed framework will benefit Nigeria’s policymakers to make decisions towards achieving GCB. This can be achieved via the proposed framework to promote the concept across Nigeria.
Originality/value
This paper is probably the first that attempted to investigate the barriers and proffer policy solutions via a framework to promote GCB in Nigeria and by extension in other developing countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying and the SARChI in Sustainable Construction Management and Leadership in the Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa for the financial assistance.
Citation
Ebekozien, A., Ikuabe, M., Awo-Osagie, A.I., Aigbavboa, C. and Ayo-Odifiri, S.O. (2022), "Model for promoting green certification of buildings in developing nations: a case study of Nigeria", Property Management, Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 118-136. https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-05-2021-0033
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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