TY - JOUR AB - Purpose– Building energy efficiency is an inescapable part of the solution to Africa's sustainable development; its implementation can result in cost effective ways that can contribute to economic and social development as well as environmental sustainability. Despite this, a number of factors including financial barriers and market barriers are perceived by policy makers and building designers to influence the efficient use of energy in buildings. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of architects in relation to the challenges of building energy efficiency in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach– From a review of pertinent literature 18 factors were identified as challenging. Empirical investigation was carried out using survey questionnaire. The consideration of overlapping aspects of the study largely motivated the use of factor analysis to analyse the data which made it possible to make scientific deductions and built explanations from the results. Findings– The study derives five brands of uncorrelated variables that better explains challenges faced in implementing building energy efficiency in Ghana. These variables include financial barriers, information barrier, private sector participation, behavioural barriers and production barrier. The study provides insight on the contextual provision of realities faced in implementing building energy efficiency in Ghana. Originality/value– Key contribution of the paper to the body of knowledge is manifested in the use of the principal component analysis. This has rigorously provided understanding into the complex structure and the relationship between the various knowledge areas of building energy efficiency barriers in Ghana. VL - 32 IS - 5 SN - 0263-080X DO - 10.1108/SS-03-2014-0014 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/SS-03-2014-0014 AU - Nii Addy Michael AU - Adinyira Emmanuel AU - Koranteng Christian ED - Divine K. Ahadzie ED - Nii A. Ankrah PY - 2014 Y1 - 2014/01/01 TI - Architect's perception on the challenges of building energy efficiency in Ghana T2 - Structural Survey PB - Emerald Group Publishing Limited SP - 365 EP - 376 Y2 - 2024/04/26 ER -