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Underlying indicators for measuring smartness of buildings in the construction industry

Frank Ato Ghansah (Department of Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana)
De-Graft Owusu-Manu (Department of Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana)
Joshua Ayarkwa (Department of Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana)
Amos Darko (Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
David J. Edwards (School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK) (Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa)

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment

ISSN: 2046-6099

Article publication date: 27 August 2020

Issue publication date: 8 March 2022

520

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the underlying indicators for measuring the smartness of buildings in the construction industry; where the Smart Building Technology (SBT) concept (which incorporates elements of the Zero Energy Building (NZEB) concept) could ensure efficient energy consumption and high performance of buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

An overarching post-positivist and empirical epistemological design was adopted to analyze primary quantitative data collected via a structured questionnaire survey with 227 respondents. The mean ranking analysis and one-sample t-test were employed to analyse data.

Findings

Research findings revealed that the level of knowledge of smart building indicators is averagely high in the Ghanaian construction industry. Future research is required to evaluate the awareness level of Smart Building Technologies (SBTs) by construction professionals and identify barriers to its adoption.

Originality/value

A blueprint guidance model (consisting of significant indicators for measuring building smartness) was developed to help improve building performance and inform policymakers.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This paper forms part of a large MPhil research project aimed at developing Technology Adoption Framework for Smart Building Technologies in Ghana. The authors would like to thank the Department of Construction Technology and Management of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology for organizing research seminars to help improve the research project. Finally, we are extremely grateful to the editors and anonymous reviewers whose invaluable comments and suggestions substantially helped in improving the quality of this paper.

Citation

Ghansah, F.A., Owusu-Manu, D.-G., Ayarkwa, J., Darko, A. and Edwards, D.J. (2022), "Underlying indicators for measuring smartness of buildings in the construction industry", Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 126-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-05-2020-0061

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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