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10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018), 22-25 August 2018, Hong Kong,
China
10th Drivers
International
on Applied
Energy (ICAE2018),
22-25 in
August
2018,
Hong Kong,
The
15th International
Symposium
on District
Heating
andthe
Cooling
ofConference
Sustainable
Construction
Practices
Zambian
China
Construction Industry
Assessing
the
feasibility
of using the
heat demand-outdoor
Drivers ofa Sustainable Construction
Practices
in the Zambiana
a
a
Ayodeji Oke , function
Douglas Aghimien
*, Clinton Aigbavboa
, and demand
Chanda Musenga
temperature
for
a
long-term
district
heat
forecast
Construction Industry
Andrića,b,c
a *,
a
a
Sustainable Human Settlement and Construction Research Centre,
a
a
b
c
of Engineering
and the Built Environment,
I.
A. PinaFaculty
, P. Ferrão
, O. Le Correc
a , J. Fournier ., B. Lacarrière
a
University of
South Africa
Ayodeji Oke , Douglas Aghimien
*,Johannesburg,
Clinton Aigbavboa
, and Chanda Musengaa
IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology
and Policy Research - Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
a
b
Sustainable&Human
Settlement
and Construction
Research
Centre,
Veolia Recherche
Innovation,
291 Avenue
Dreyfous Daniel,
78520
Limay, France
Faculty
of Engineering and
theAtlantique,
Built Environment,
c
Abstract
Département Systèmes Énergétiques
et Environnement
- IMT
4 rue Alfred Kastler, 44300 Nantes, France
University of Johannesburg, South Africa
While the construction industry plays a crucial role in the social and economic growth of a country; on the other hand, it is
known to be a major contributor to the degradation of the environment. This has led to the quest for a sustainable environment
Abstract
Abstractthrough sustainable construction (SC) in countries around the world. This paper presents the results of the assessment of
achieved
SC in Zambian Construction Industry (ZCI). A quantitative approach was adopted for the study and a questionnaire survey was
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Thus,
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The
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study
indicated
that thereidentified
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however
the level
of
the
use
of
the
various
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will
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aid
the
greening
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but
result
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the
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forecast. The district
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Alvalade,
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To to
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Keywords:
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adoption
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error in annual demand was lower than 20% for all weather scenarios considered). However, after introducing renovation
Keywords: Sustainable construction practices; Sustainable development; Sustainability; Zambian Construction Industry.
scenarios, the error value increased up to 59.5% (depending on the weather and renovation scenarios combination considered).
There is an increasing awareness among scientists and scholars that the rate, at which the earth’s resources are
The value of slope coefficient increased on average within the range of 3.8% up to 8% per decade, that corresponds to the
being
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© 2017
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has
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construction approach have negative environmental and social impact. The activities consume massive quantities of
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +27-63-873-9661
Keywords:
Heat demand;
Forecast; Climate change
E-mail address:
aghimiendouglas@yahoo.com
1876-6102 Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
* Corresponding
author. under
Tel.: +27-63-873-9661
Selection
and peer-review
responsibility of the scientific committee of the 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018).
E-mail address: aghimiendouglas@yahoo.com
1876-6102 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peer-review
under responsibility
of theLtd.
Scientific
Committee
of The 15th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling.
1876-6102 Copyright
© 2018
Elsevier
All by
rights
reserved.
© 2019 The
Authors.
Published
Elsevier
Ltd.
This is anand
open
access article
the CCofBY-NC-ND
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Selection
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under under
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of the 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of ICAE2018 – The 10th International Conference on Applied Energy.
10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.995
2
Ayodeji Oke et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 3246–3252
A Oke et al/ Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
3247
natural resources including numerous energy sources and water. Extraction of raw materials, manufacturing and
transportation tend to lead to a reduction of resources and losses of biological diversity, whilst acid rain and global
warming are the result of high energy consumption.
With the current rate at which the earth’s resources are being depleted, there is a growing urgency to restructure
the construction industry globally. In response to this, sustainable construction (SC) was proposed as a way of
making the construction processes, activities and practices more economically, socially and environmentally
responsive [3]. This was motivated by the goal of securing the future generations ability to meet their needs through
the application of sustainable development principles in meeting present needs. Considering the constant call for
sustainability in construction; one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs [4], it is important for Zambia to keep pace with this global movement by
adopting sustainable construction practices. The country’s construction industry is similar to that of every other
developing country where poor sustainable construction has been noted [5-8]. The country suffers from poor
delivery in terms of sustainable construction [9]. If this is to change, then more adoption of sustainable construction
practices is needed. This is so, as it has been observed that if SC is to achieved in developing countries, a change in
the thinking, behaviour, production and consumption within their construction industry is necessary [10]. Aside the
issue of poor SC, there seems to be paucity of information in existing literature as regards SC practices being carried
out within the Zambian Construction Industry (ZCI). It is based on this knowledge that this study assessed the SC
practices being adopted within the ZCI, with a view to proffering possible measures that will lead to increase in SC
in the country.
2. Influences of Sustainable Construction Practice
Some literature refers to SC as the formation and management of a healthy built environment through the
sensible use of resources and ecological principles [12]. SC is an approach that addresses the sustainable needs of
the built environment [3]. It is important to note that the terms high performance, green, and sustainable construction
are used interchangeably in most studies. Other terms that are synonymous with sustainable construction are green
building and sustainable building [13]. According to Du Plessis [11], SC is an all-inclusive process with the aim of
re-establishing and maintaining harmony between the built and natural environments and the creation of settlements
that assert human dignity and encourage economic equity. This definition implies that SC takes a lifecycle
perspective with emphasis on environmentally orientated design, operation and maintenance procedures.
Majadalani [14] established that the main purpose of SC is to provide structures of long-term value, affordability,
quality and efficiency to clients and to enhance economic sustainability whilst reducing the negative environmental
impacts. Aghimien et al. [4] stated that SC is the delivery of construction projects that encourages the preservation
of the natural habitat; promotes social wellbeing of the occupants; and provides reasonable economic stand for the
investors. Bal et al. [15] therefore conclude that a construction project is said to be sustainable if it meets
environmental challenges, responds to social and cultural demands, and delivers economic improvement.
Developed and developing countries alike all share a common concern and that is the current environmental
situation [16]. The world is currently facing the effects of global warming, ozone depletion, destruction of natural
habitats and loss of biodiversity. Sustainability is the way to go to avert the situation and this can be and achieved
through the adoption of a multi-disciplinary approach covering several features such as: energy saving, improved
use of materials, reuse and recycling and emissions control. According to [11] sustainability movement can only be
set into motion if awareness and knowledge are in place. Abidin [3] described the implementation of SC as a process
that starts with awareness coupled with interest which leads to gaining knowledge. Acceptance of the knowledge
gained will lead to increased demand and this result in implementation.
New technologies and concepts have emerged with the aim of achieving sustainability in the construction
industry [12]. Examples like Building Information Modelling (BIM) and high efficiency photovoltaic are impacting
approaches to project design and collaboration. Other philosophical and scientific concepts have risen due to the
paradigm shift towards sustainability. These concepts include biomimicry, cradle to cradle design, construction
ecology, design for the environment, ecological economics, ecological footprint, life- cycle assessment, life-cycle
costing etc. Other technological methods to enhance sustainability in the construction industry are Industrialized
Building System (IBS), Value Engineering (VE) and lean construction [17]. These innovations have been introduced
and are still being improved upon through further research to bring about energy saving, improved use of materials
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Ayodeji Oke et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 3246–3252
A Oke et al/ Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
3
and implementation of reuse and recycling of materials as a way of controlling emissions.
The movement towards a more sustainable construction industry is influenced by many drivers for change [18].
The term driver has different meanings among scholars. Darko et al. [19] from the green building perspective,
identified drivers to be influences that encourage the adoption of certain green building practices and can include the
possible benefits or decisions or actions that persuade people to participate in implementation of green building.
According to Ayarkwa et al. [20] drivers have positive and enabling effects.Andelin et al. [21] pointed out that it is
essential to note that each region has different drivers and priorities. Wang et al. (2014) found that government has
an essential role to play in implementing SC practices. This can be through policy development such as standard
legislation guidelines and assessment systems. The high start-up costs of sustainable buildings often deter
stakeholders from embarking on projects and utilizing green materials [22].
Financial incentives have also been identified as one of the drivers to overcoming the challenges facing the
adoption of SC. The provision of these incentives should be orchestrated by the government through introduction of
tax incentives and subsidies to construction firms like deficit subsidies, financial discounts, and pre-tax loans [23].
According to Abidin and Pasquire [24] the client is seen to be one of the key drivers towards SC. Häkkinen and
Belloni [25] found that client’s demand is cardinal to the development of SC. This is because the client’s demand
has a direct relationship with cost, knowledge, method, supply, and value. Various scholars have found that clients
demand and awareness are directly linked to education and training in the quest towards adopting SC practices [26,
27].
3. Research Methodology
This study adopted a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire administered on construction
professionals namely Quantity Surveyors, Architects, Engineers, Construction managers, and Project Managers.
These professionals were selected from both the private (contractors and consultants) and public sectors. These
professionals were selected from the private and public sectors in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. The city was
selected based on its central location and because it provides administrative functions to the entire country. In
addition, the city is the centre of provision of high order services such as financial and technical services,
construction and even manufacturing activities. The target construction professionals were those registered with the
various professional bodies in Zambia and in other parts of the Southern Africa region. This measure was considered
vital for the survey to ensure that the results obtained are an accurate reflection of the populations’ view with
regards to adopting SC practices in Zambia. A non-random sampling technique was used and a sample size of 75
professionals was identified. A closed-end questionnaire was prepared and this was divided into three sections. The
first section sought to collect demographic information like the level of education, profession and experience from
the respondents. The second part sought to assess the level of awareness of the professionals of SC practices and the
level of their implementation. The last part dealt with the determination of the drivers to the adoption of SC
practices. A 5 point Likert scale was adopted in assessing the SC practices and drivers. Out of the 75 questionnaires
sent out, 44 were received back representing a 59% response rate. In analysing the data gathered, percentage was
used in analysing the data on the background information of the respondents, while Mean Item Score (MIS) was
used in ranking the level of awareness and implementation of the identified SC practices, and the drivers for
successful implementation of these SC practices within the ZCI.
4. Results and Discussions
4.1 Background of Respondents
Result revealed that the professionals involved in the study were represented as follows 14% architects, 30%
quantity surveyors, 39% engineers, 16% construction managers, and 2% project managers. The study further
indicated that 43% of the respondents were government employees whilst 59% of the respondents were employees
of private organizations. Furthermore, 11% of the respondents had a diploma, 57% had a degree, 30% had a
master’s degree, and 2% had a doctoral degree. The average years of experience of the respondents were 6 years and
above. This indicated that the professionals had a considerable level of experience to give significant answers to the
questions of the research.
4
A Oke et al/ Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
Ayodeji Oke et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 3246–3252
3249
4.2 Awareness of Sustainable Construction Practices
In assessing the awareness of construction participants with respect to SC practices, some construction practices
pertinent to the delivery of SC were identified and presented to the respondents. The respondents were asked to rate
these practices based on their level of awareness of practices and the level of their implementation within the ZCI. A
scale of 5 to 1 was adopted, with 5 being very high awareness/implementation level, 4 being high
awareness/implementation level, 3 being average awareness/implementation level, 2 being low
awareness/implementation level, and 1 being very low awareness/implementation level. Result in Table 1 shows the
ranking of these SC practices by the respondents.
The result reveals that out of the 13 assessed practices, the respondents have considerable level of awareness for
eight of them. Chief of these practices with the highest level of awareness is value management, life-cycle costing,
design for the environment, life-cycle assessment, and BIM with a MIS of 4.02, 3.95, 3.86, 3.73 and 3.57
respectively. The overall level of awareness for all the SC practices combined gave a MIS of 3.20 which is just on
the average. This result implies that there is an average level of awareness among construction professionals within
the ZCI as regards the practices needed for achieving SC within the country. In terms of implementation, result
reveals that out of the 13 assessed SC practices only 4 have an implementation level of above average of 3.0. These
SC practices include value management, design for the environment, construction ecology and life-cycle assessment
with a MIS of 3.77, 3.50, 3.27 and 3.20 respectively. On the overall, the level of implementation of the identified SC
practices with the country’s construction industry is low as a mean value of 2.70 was derived.
The result from the overall awareness level of the identified sustainable construction practices shows an average
level of awareness among construction experts in the country. This result contradicts that of [6] and [28] which
stated that the level of sustainability awareness among developing countries such as Nigeria and Kuwait is low. The
result is also in contrast with the submission of [9] which indicated that there was a low level of awareness about SC
in Zambia. The findings of this result shows that there is some measure of increase in the level of awareness of SC
among construction professionals in Zambia from a low level to an average awareness level. Therefore, more can
still be done to further increase the level of awareness with the country’s construction industry. It can be said that
this average level of awareness have significant impact on the level of implementation of these SC practices, as
result shows a low level of implementation. Baron and Donath [8] have earlier observed that in Ethiopia, the major
challenge of SC is not that of awareness but appropriateness. It was observed that, while there is awareness of SC, it
is not implemented correctly. It is either completely neglected due to budget constraints, lack of alternative building
materials, or knowledge, or it is reduced to the issue of sustainable resource management. Result from this study
agrees with this submission, as some amount of awareness was observed among the construction professionals, but
the actual implementation of same is low. This result also agrees with the studies done by [3] and [29] which
identified that in Malaysia and South Africa respectively, there was a higher level of awareness on SC practices but
very poor implementation of the same. This can be attributed to the issues like the construction industry being a
client driven and as such adoption and subsequent implementation of these practices is dependent on the awareness
of the clients.
The increased clamor for the adoption of value management as a means of achieving sustainability in
construction is evident in researches [24, 7, 30, and 31]. Findings from this study reveal that construction
professionals in the ZCI are aware of the use of value management as a sustainability tool and are using it in the
delivery of construction projects within the country. However, biomimicry which has been identified as a novel
science and method that studies nature’s models and then emulates their forms, processes, and strategies offer a
sustainable approach towards achieving sustainable environment [32] is yet to gain recognition within the ZCI. Thus
if SC construction is to be achieved within the country, then there must be an increase in the adoption of other
sustainable construction practices within the industry.
Table 1: Awareness and implementation of sustainable construction practices
Awareness
Sustainable Construction Practices
MIS
STD
Value management
4.02
0.902
Life-cycle costing
3.95
1.238
Design for the environment
3.86
0.979
Rank
1
2
3
MIS
3.77
2.75
3.50
Implementation
STD
0.886
0.918
1.131
Rank
1
6
2
Ayodeji Oke et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 3246–3252
A Oke et al/ Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
3250
Life - cycle assessment
Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Lean construction
Construction ecology
Industrialized Building System (IBS)
Ecological footprint
Ecological economics
Nanotechnology
Cradle to Cradle design
Biomimicry
Average
Note: MIS = Mean Item Score, STD = Standard Deviation
3.73
3.57
3.45
3.27
3.07
2.91
2.77
2.55
2.43
1.98
3.20
1.042
1.283
1.190
1.020
1.283
1.197
1.031
1.266
1.485
1.171
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
3.20
2.61
2.86
3.27
2.48
2.45
2.61
1.80
2.02
1.82
2.70
5
0.795
1.185
1.193
1.128
1.191
1.044
0.993
0.954
1.210
1.063
4
7
5
3
8
9
7
12
10
11
4.3 Drivers to the adoption of Sustainable Construction Practices
In assessing the drivers to the adoption of SC practices, some drivers were identified from literature and
presented to the respondents. The respondents were asked to rate these drivers based on their level of significance. A
scale of 5 to 1 was adopted, with 5 being very high, 4 being high, 3 being average, 2 being low, and 1 being very
low. Result in Table 2 shows the ranking of these drivers by the respondents. Result shows that all the 23 assessed
barriers were deemed significant by the respondents as they all have a MIS of well above average of 3.0. Chief of
these drivers are; linking research to implementers, legislation / legal requirement, building regulations, advocacy
and awareness, developing regulatory mechanisms, and clients demand with a MIS of 4.23, 4.18, 4.14, 4.11, 4.09
and 4.07 respectively.
This finding is in line with the submission of [33] which stated that government has an essential role to play in
implementing SC practices, through policy development such as standard legislation guidelines and assessment
systems. Findings from this study also agrees with the submission of [24] and [25] that the client is a key driver
towards SC as the demand for SC plays a vital role in the attainment of a sustainable environment. Pitt et al. [34]
observed that providing financial incentives in conjunction with appropriated regulations should be used to help
drive the demand for adoption of SC practices by all the stakeholders. However, although the use of financial
incentive is not ranked among the top driver, it still have a high mean value, which implies that it is equally
significant in the quest of achieving SC within the ZCI. Shi et al. [23] believes that the provision of these incentives
should be orchestrated by the government through introduction of tax incentives and subsidies to construction firms
like deficit subsidies, financial discounts and pre-tax loans.
Table 2: Drivers of adopting sustainable construction practices
Drivers
Linking research to implementers
Legislation / Legal Requirement
Building regulations
Advocacy and awareness
Developing regulatory mechanisms
Client Demand
Strengthening implementing mechanisms
Knowledge sharing
Planning policy
Resource efficiency
Educational programs
Co-operation and partnerships
MIS
4.23
4.18
4.14
4.11
4.09
4.07
4.05
4.02
4.02
4.00
4.00
4.00
STD
0.677
0.971
0.852
0.813
0.772
0.759
0.914
0.821
0.902
0.778
0.863
0.915
Rk
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Drivers
Creation of technologies of the future
Reputation / Image
Financial incentives
Creation of technologies to mitigate impacts
Competitive Advantage
Creating regional centres of excellence
Clarification of roles and responsibilities
Benchmarking and assessment
Changing the construction process
Cost reduction
Attract and retain good employees
MIS
3.95
3.95
3.95
3.93
3.84
3.82
3.77
3.75
3.75
3.75
3.70
STD
0.888
0.888
0.963
0.974
0.834
1.063
0.803
0.866
0.918
0.991
1.047
Rk
13
13
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Note: MIS = Mean Item Scores; STD = Standard deviation, Rk = Rank
5. Conclusion and Recommendations
This study set out to assess sustainable construction practices in the ZCI. Using a survey approach with
quantitative data gathered from construction professionals within the construction industry, the study has been able
to ascertain the level of awareness and implementation of SC practices with the ZCI. It has also been able to
ascertain the major drivers of the adoption of these SC practices. Based on the findings, the study concludes that
there is an average level of awareness of SC practices among construction professionals, while the level of
implementation of these practices is poor. The major areas being adopted are value management, design for the
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environment, construction ecology and life-cycle assessment, with lesser focus on other key practices such as
biomimicry. The subsequent findings in similarity with the literature revealed that there are a number of drivers that
can enhance the adoption of sustainable construction practices with the major ones being linking research to
implementers, legislation or legal requirement, building regulations, advocacy and awareness, developing regulatory
mechanisms, and clients demand. These results indicated that there is need for government to spearhead the
adoption of sustainable construction practices through collaboration with academics and most importantly through
enforcement of regulations and formulation of legislation supporting sustainable construction.
The construction industry plays a vital role in the economic development of Zambia despite the impacts that it
has on the environment and on the general wellbeing of the people as identified in the study. Therefore, it is
essential that the various stakeholders be made aware of the sustainable practices that have been developed to ensure
that the various projects that are being carried out in the country are sustainable. Thus, it is recommended that a
module relating to SC should be introduced in the universities and in the school curriculum. Government should
develop a framework for the adoption of SC in the country, and also show its commitment to the adoption of SC
through introduction of legislation and incentives. Government should encourage collaboration with the various
professional bodies to ensure enforcement of regulations. Training and education of the various professionals should
be encouraged through continuous professional development by different professional bodies. There is also the need
for collaboration with countries with established green building councils like South Africa, UK, USA, among others.
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