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Article
Publication date: 11 June 2019

Kofi Agyekum, Emmanuel Adinyira, Bernard Baiden, Godslove Ampratwum and Daniel Duah

This paper aims to identify the key barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the key barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts face-to-face and telephonic interviews with ten built environment professionals, using a semi-structured interview guide. Qualitative responses to the interview were thematically analysed using NVivo 11 Pro analysis application software.

Findings

The findings suggest that “lack of information on existing green buildings”, “lack of incentives”, “conservative nature of Ghanaians”, “lack of active government participation”, “inadequate human resource”, “lack of awareness of the benefits”, “cost and financing” and “lack of legal backing” are the eight key barriers that hinder the adoption of green certification of buildings.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to built environment professionals registered with their appropriate professional bodies. The findings cannot be generalized and extended to other developing countries that do not share similar characteristics and context with Ghana.

Practical implications

Practically, this study highlights, for the benefit of the construction industry and the government, the critical barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana. Identification of these barriers provides a pathway for the provision of pragmatic solutions towards the adoption of green buildings in Ghana.

Originality/value

Findings of the research make significant contribution to the debate on the barriers to the adoption of green certification of buildings. Four out of the eight barriers (inadequate awareness of the benefits of green certification of buildings, inadequate human resource, conservative nature of Ghanaian and lack of information on existing green buildings) identified are unique in the context of other related studies and advanced knowledge on the subject matter.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

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Article
Publication date: 11 March 2020

Kofi Agyekum, Emmanuel Adinyira and Godslove Ampratwum

Sustainability has become a topical issue in many countries, with emphasis on green buildings. Though Ghana has recently adopted green buildings, there is lack of its speedy…

Abstract

Purpose

Sustainability has become a topical issue in many countries, with emphasis on green buildings. Though Ghana has recently adopted green buildings, there is lack of its speedy implementation. There is little literature on the adoption of green certification of buildings, especially in a developing country like Ghana. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that drive the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts face-to-face and telephone interviews, using a semi-structured interview guide among ten built environment professionals. Qualitative responses to the interview are thematically analysed using Nvivo 11 Pro analysis application software.

Findings

The findings suggest that “observability of the benefits of green certified buildings”, “commitment of Government to green building initiatives”, “incorporating green certification of buildings into the code of practice of professional bodies”, “green building certification incentives”, “public acknowledgement of the green building concept”, “policies and regulations to enforce the adoption of the concept” and “effective communication and source of information on the concept” are the factors that drive the adoption of green certification of buildings in Ghana.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the understanding of the factors that drive the adoption of green building certification in Ghana. With these findings, stakeholders and industry practitioners can make informed decisions regarding how they can put in place strategies to ensure the effective adoption of green certification of buildings. Though this study was conducted within the context of Ghana, its findings and implications can be useful to policy makers, stakeholders and practitioners in other developing countries.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 9 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

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Article
Publication date: 30 March 2022

Laura Blackburne, Koorosh Gharehbaghi, Ken Farnes, Olivia Moore and Melisa Russo

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the green building certification systems. In doing so, a validation process, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), was undertaken.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the green building certification systems. In doing so, a validation process, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), was undertaken.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive literature review was conducted to highlight the paramount aspects of green building certification systems. Then, using a grounded theory, key findings of the initial literature review were explored. This was necessary to form a broad theoretical framework. Finally, CFA was performed to evaluate various green building certification systems.

Findings

Initially, it was noted that accreditation process was the central key for effective building certification systems, particularly at the international level. Further, using CFA, it was also determined that to increase the sustainable performance of the green building certification, meeting the increasing expectation of the system user is paramount.

Practical implications

When evaluating the green building certification systems, it is recommended to focus on a specific aspect of the programmes holistically. This needs to be done particularly towards delivering a clear message to the stakeholders globally; doing so may alleviate the many challenges of green building certifications.

Originality/value

Currently, various green building certification systems have been developed for local purposes. This raises the question of the adaptability of these systems across varying climates and geography in differing regions. Using CFA, this research will examine various green building certification systems to evaluate their applicability at a global level.

Details

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4620

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Article
Publication date: 5 May 2015

Sepani Senaratne and Prasanna Rajitha Hewamanage

Leadership of the project team is vital for green building projects in achieving LEED certification. Literature findings confirm the need for managing green building projects…

Abstract

Purpose

Leadership of the project team is vital for green building projects in achieving LEED certification. Literature findings confirm the need for managing green building projects differently from ordinary projects. The team leader should be able to work with the project team to manage the general project activities while following the LEED certification procedure to finally achieve LEED certification. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a research project which was aimed to explore the role of team leadership in achieving LEED certification in a green building project through a case study research approach.

Findings

The research findings revealed the importance of utilizing the appropriate leadership roles of project team members in addition to the project leader’s role to achieve LEED certification for green building projects successfully. The research proposed four team leadership processes required to meet the LEED challenges; namely, proactive planning and visualization; collective implementation; teamwork for win-win; and, continuous learning and knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

Based on these findings, the research suggests a new project team environment enabled by effective team leadership to meet the LEED challenges. It is argued that the team leadership role of every team member is unique and best suited when used synergistically to achieve LEED certification for the project. The research is original in applying team leadership concepts to green building projects in a real-life setting.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

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Article
Publication date: 7 November 2016

Jack C.P. Cheng and Vignesh Venkataraman

Literature on organizational analysis identified that project participants have a certain impact on the project outcome. However, there is no study that identifies the impact of…

Abstract

Purpose

Literature on organizational analysis identified that project participants have a certain impact on the project outcome. However, there is no study that identifies the impact of project teams and individual project participants on a green building project. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of green building project teams on green building certification.

Design/methodology/approach

Project information, project team information, and green building certification grade were collected using the Canadian green building database. Project team data were analyzed and organizations were ranked based on their green building project experience and collaborations with experienced green building organizations. The page rank algorithm is used to calculate the rank of organizations in order to identify the impact of organizational rank on the final green building certification grade of a project.

Findings

The results show a positive relationship between the green building certification grade and the number of organizations with more green building experience in a project team. The results also show that not having experienced key organizations such as owners, designers, and contractors will likely lead to a lower green building certification grade.

Originality/value

Impact of project teams on green building projects has not been studied before. This study used an innovative method to analyze green building project teams and to investigate the importance of green building project experience. The findings of this study provided evidence to support the influence of project team compositions in green building projects. The results presented in this paper can help project owners and managers during project team formation for successful execution of green building projects.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 6 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 August 2021

Andrew Ebekozien, Matthew Ikuabe, Andrew Igiebor Awo-Osagie, Clinton Aigbavboa and Solomon Oisasoje Ayo-Odifiri

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…

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.

Details

Property Management, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2022

Genell Wells Ebbini and Adel Al-Assaf

The researchers analyzed factors affecting the adoption of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green-building certification system in Jordan, including…

Abstract

Purpose

The researchers analyzed factors affecting the adoption of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green-building certification system in Jordan, including financial performance of certified projects along with broader barriers that may impact developers’ interest in LEED.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors first reviewed online data for all LEED registered and certified projects in Jordan, recruited LEED-certified project stakeholders, collected documents related to LEED projects and conducted LEED category credit summaries, financial cost-benefit analyses and spot-checking reported values in local markets. The authors then visited projects sites and interviewed various project stakeholders to understand better stakeholders' decision-making processes concerning LEED and relevant factors (financial, branding, cultural, political, etc.).

Findings

Obtaining LEED certification in Jordan was financially feasible as evinced in both the quantitative analysis and interviews. However, the authors found that there was very limited interest in LEED among Jordanian developers. Barriers included widespread cynicism toward green building concepts as well as a lack of local expertise in installing and maintaining green technologies. To overcome these barriers, the authors recommend that green building initiatives place a greater emphasis on education and public-promotion activities.

Research limitations/implications

The research data were limited to projects that had successfully achieved LEED certification. Broader qualitative research conducted across the Jordanian building community could provide additional insights, but such an investigation is beyond the scope of the current study.

Originality/value

The complexity of adapting a Western green building standard (LEED) to a non-Western context is discussed in detail. The findings suggest that understanding regional development challenges, local markets and cultural differences is vital for successfully implementing green building certification systems.

Details

Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 17 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-6862

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 December 2019

Erin A. Hopkins and Jennifer H. Van Mullekom

As the green economic bottom line is a strong motivating force when deciding to build, manage and/or operate green, this study aims to examine the financial impacts of green…

Abstract

Purpose

As the green economic bottom line is a strong motivating force when deciding to build, manage and/or operate green, this study aims to examine the financial impacts of green certifications on multifamily rental communities.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multiple regression methodology, operating financial variables are examined.

Findings

Multifamily rental green buildings garner not only higher rental collections but also higher total expenses. When applying these higher rates to properties, the overall increase in rents outweighs the increases in total expenses.

Originality/value

While multiple studies have focused on the office sector, this study begins to fill the literature gap within the multifamily rental sector regarding the economic impacts of green-certified buildings. The outcomes of this study have positive implications for the multifamily real estate industry by providing developers, owners, managers and related parties with a better understanding of the financial impacts of multifamily rental green buildings; however, more research is needed.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 13 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

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Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Billie Ann Brotman

The purpose of this paper is to address the apparent slow acceptance on the part of developers located in the USA to seek green certifications. If green-certified construction…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the apparent slow acceptance on the part of developers located in the USA to seek green certifications. If green-certified construction costs more than non-green construction, then is there a financial reason for not seeking a green rating. Do green buildings perform better than non-green buildings financially? The paper develops and presents a discounted present value model for doing a cost-benefit analysis for building green. This model enables an investor to determine the feasibility of constructing a new green-certified building instead of a conventional non-green building. Non-green buildings are not certified by a rating agency such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Energy Star or Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). Real estate permits are granted by local municipalities in the USA. This means that local government mandates requiring green construction that significantly adds to the initial cost of a project could have the unintended result of encouraging new non-green construction just outside their municipal boundaries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper collects publically available research data for office buildings located in the USA, and inputs this information into an income statement. It tests the hypothesis: is green-certified construction a financially feasible choice for an investor? An incremental approach using a 15-year holding period is presented. This time period takes into account equipment wear and tear. Heating/cooling systems and other green-technologically based operating systems have a limited life and do not last for 30 or 40 years. They are likely to need replacement after 15 years have lapsed.

Findings

The negative net present value (NPV) results and high payback periods indicate that increased rents for green construction, a tax credit for the present value loss and/or property-tax reduction covering the shortfall is needed as an incentive to commercially build green. The implication of a negative NPV is that green office buildings will be built by government agencies where green is mandated, corporations that want a green image and benefit from this image, where local ordinances mandate green construction features and where local and federal tax incentives are available increasing a construction project's feasibility.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of any cost-benefit study is that analytical models and/or data used to forecast energy and water consumption savings in green-certified buildings compared to conventional buildings can be inaccurate. Forecasting models can understate or overstate the actual savings realized from green construction especially in the long-term given the difficulty of predicting equipment wear and tear, net rents and energy costs. The modeled percentage cost associated with green new construction features could remain constant or grow through time. Tables I and II results assume energy and water expenses remain a constant percentage over the 15-year period. The agency costs associated with obtaining a LEED or BREEAM certification was not calculated as an upfront cost. Certification by LEED or BREEAM increases the upfront cost associated with building a green building.

Practical implications

The length of the payback period estimates coupled with negative NPV for green certified compared to non-green construction suggests that developers do not have an incentive to build green. Higher WACC rates would result in green-certified projects being less feasible to build.

Social implications

The LEED certification point system may need to be reviewed. Points are assigned for features that improve occupant satisfaction, but may have little impact on reducing energy usage.

Originality/value

A model is presented for determining whether green-certified construction is financially feasible. The model enables the investor to determine the size of a tax incentive that is needed to enable new green construction to be economically feasible to build. The higher the negative NPV the larger the income or property tax incentive or other financial incentives needed. Prior research studies compared green and non-green buildings, but did not compare the energy savings generated to the additional construction and upfront costs incurred using a discount rate. They assumed the energy savings justified the additional initial cost associated with building a new green certified.

Details

Journal of Property Investment & Finance, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-578X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2018

Chamali Bandara, D.M.P.P. Dissanayake, Gayani Karunasena and Nadun Madhusanka

The successful continuation of green certification in the Sri Lankan hotel sector is vital for tourism industry as well as the economy of the country as it balances the economic…

Abstract

Purpose

The successful continuation of green certification in the Sri Lankan hotel sector is vital for tourism industry as well as the economy of the country as it balances the economic interests with social and environmental responsibilities. However, it has become an issue in the Sri Lankan hospitality and tourism industry to sustain green certification due to many challenges. The prevailing situation highlights the need of exploring long-term strategies to mitigate challenges in sustaining green certification which has not been researched to date. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose strategies to mitigate challenges in sustaining green certification in the hotel sector in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 3 hotels were selected as cases of the study and 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with engineers, maintenance managers and supervisors, who are responsible for sustaining green certificates at such hotels. The collected data were subjected to cross-case analysis to determine challenges in sustaining green certification. The findings were analysed with the support of the QSR.NVivo version 11.0 computer software.

Findings

Challenges were identified in detail under five main categories. They are technical, managerial, political and legal, environment and biological and social and cultural. Such challenges include design and construction defects, use of poor quality building and other materials, improper maintenance practices, incomplete and unclear construction documents, plans and specifications, resource limitations, insufficient budget allocations, government intervention, legal constraints, lack of user awareness and natural environmental conditions. Finally, strategies to mitigate such challenges are proposed based on empirical research findings.

Research limitations/implications

Only the Green Globe certified hotels in Sri Lanka were selected considering their need to renew certification annually. Further, interviewees were selected mainly focusing on the operational phase of a building. Hence, the findings were mostly limited to the perceptions and knowledge areas of selected interviewees. This can be highlighted as a primary limitation of the research, where a further study should be carried out on the perceptions of design stage professionals incorporating design stage challenges and strategies into the study.

Originality/value

The proposed strategies can be pursued by hoteliers to mitigate challenges in sustaining green certification, which will ultimately facilitate to balance economic interests with social and environmental responsibilities.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 8 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

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