of Green Building Development
FEATURED PAPER
By Adetayo Olugbenga ONOSOSEN1, Oladipupo OSANYIN 2 and Modupeoluwa Olajumoke ADEYEMO3
1Department of Quantity Surveying/University of Lagos, Lagos
2Department of Quantity Surveying, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife
3Department of Quantity Surveying, Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure
Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The dependent nature of the construction industry on energy and resources coupled with the unsustainable utilization of these resources has resulted in environmental and health hazards coupled with declining availability of resources. With a growing housing deficit, energy challenges and environmental hazards, developed economies are moving to more sustainable methods of building, however, it is unclear the preparedness of the Nigerian built environment in moving with the times. This paper presents an assessment of the preparedness of the Nigerian construction industry for the adoption of sustainable construction and green buildings by unearthing its drivers and barriers. The research employed a survey research method in data gathering and the population of the study comprises of construction professional. Convenience sampling technique was used in data administration with a response of 69 questionnaires used for the analysis. Descriptive statistical tools were used for analyses. The study revealed that a reluctance arising from the need to avoid risk and increased cost associated with green building is a major barrier to its adoption, lack of awareness, inadequate green products, absence of government support to drive the process and lack of green building tools were also identified as barriers. Also, it was found that the drivers to invigorate the adoption of sustainable building are; government’s support, provision of labeling standard, financial incentives, increased awareness and a sustainable housing policy. The study concluded that while there is sparse knowledge on the life-cycle benefits of green building, a tripartite involvement of government, clients and professionals is vital to drive its implementation.
Keywords: Barriers, Drivers, Green buildings, Sustainable construction,
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The world has seen in recent times, increasing global alert on the unsustainable consequences of human activities on the environment, though the blame has been shifted to a broad range of industrial activities, the construction industry is not left out of this quagmire. This is unsurprising as it has been discovered that the construction industry is directly responsible for a large portion of energy consumption, biodiversity loss, waste generation and pollution (CIOB, 2004). This challenge has surfaced at a time developing economies such as Nigeria and China are experiencing increasing construction project to cope with the high demands of a surge in population growth and growing economic activities (Zhang, Wu, Shen and Skitmore, 2013). Though there is an increasing housing deficit in the country, government efforts in combating this menace must however be done in an environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically supportive way (Oni, 2015). This then calls for a need for governments to look beyond mass conventional building systems to adopting a much more sustainable approach to providing the much needed surplus housing. In response to this challenge, the construction industry has looked into processes, methods and means of revitalizing its construction activities and these efforts has led to the conception of green buildings. Constructing sustainable buildings reduces raw materials and lad, minimizes the consumption of energy and water and by extension reduces emission of hazardous pollutants in the environment (McMahon, Marks and Wallace 2015).
However, though this new wave of construction process is taking on a growing popularity backed by government policies in advanced economies, it has been lethargic in developing economies such as Nigeria. Failure to accommodate sustainable principles in these current times renders any attempt at housing an exercise in futility in the long run as future generations will bear the consequences of unsustainable practices in vogue today (Oni, 2015). The apparent lack of preparedness for the adoption of green buildings in Nigeria has been associated with the would-be drivers of the system present in countries who have successfully adopted the new approach but might be absent in Nigeria (Aghimien, Adegbembo Awodele, & Aghimien, 2018), also there are barriers to the adoption of this system which threatens its survivability and dampens the preparedness of the Nigerian construction industry to adopt this new and environmentally friendly concept.
Though there is still a dearth of literature on the adoption of green buildings in the Nigerian built environment, this paper focused on examining drivers and barriers to the implementation of green building development. The result of this study will help inform policy makers in the construction industry on the strategy to adopt in ensuring the introduction of green building development into the Nigerian built environment.
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How to cite this paper: Onososen, A.O.; Osanyin, O.; Adeyemo, M.O. (2019). Drivers and Barriers to the Implementation of Green Building Development; PM World Journal, Vol. VIII, Issue IX, October. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pmwj86-Oct2019-Onososen-Osanyin-Adeyemo-green-building-development.pdf
About the Authors
Adetayo Olugbenga ONOSOSEN
Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
Adetayo Onososen is a research-driven, highly dependable, diligent and innovative graduate of Quantity surveying from the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. He also has a Master of Science in Quantity Surveying from the University of Lagos. He has a strong bias for excellence, execution and exemplary work ethic. He is highly analytical with industry-based experience in construction management/cost control and project management. He is skilled in conducting qualitative and quantitative field research in environmental sciences/ technology in construction and sustainable/green buildings. He possesses effective communication and writing skills, strategic leadership, teamwork and dynamic people management skills. Over the years he has garnered keen interests in technology in construction, green buildings and research in the environmental science. He works as a practising quantity surveyor in a firm where a mix of entrepreneurial drive and extreme ownership mindset is encouraged where he is leveraging skills to contribute own quota to overall organization growth.
Adetayo can be contacted on Onososen@gmail.com
Oladipupo Osanyin
Lagos State, Nigeria
Oladipupo Hameed OSANYIN possesses a National Diploma (ND) in Quantity Surveying from the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun state, Nigeria. A bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. A master’s degree in Quantity Surveying from the University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria. He is certified as safety personnel (HSE) and has certification in initiation and planning of projects from the University of California Irvine. He has both professional and academic experiences, having worked in various capacities in the construction sector (construction and consultancy). He has been an adjunct lecturer/ tutor in several institutions of learning over the years and is presently a lecturer at the Department of Quantity Surveying, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State. Oladipupo is an optimist, enthusiast and realist who has a strong drive for knowledge and learning.
Modupeoluwa Olajumoke ADEYEMO
Lagos, Nigeria
Modupeoluwa Olajumoke Adeyemo is a Proactive, analytical and research-oriented graduate of Quantity surveying from the prestigious Federal University of Technology Akure. Her devotion to excellence and never-ending self-improvement is a testament to her graduating with first class honours from the 2017/2018 Academic set of FUTA. Her strong and unwavering dedication to academic excellence is exemplary in the varied scholarship she has being awarded across board. She is strongly passionate about BIM in construction, CSR in construction and sustainable building solutions to the challenges confronting the Nigerian Construction Industry. She is currently serving in the mandatory national youth service as a Quantity surveyor with Arbico Plc where she contributes her immense wealth of experience in construction management and administration. Her research interests are diverse but majorly based on disruptive innovation, CSR in construction, Internet of things (IOT), BIM in construction and sustainable construction.
Modupeoluwa can be contacted at Adeyemodupe123@gmail.com
