Study
SustainabilityHigh ImpactModerate effect

Information and Awareness Gaps are Greater Barriers to Sustainable Construction Than Cost

Designers and construction professionals perceive a lack of knowledge and awareness as more significant obstacles to implementing sustainable practices than the initial investment costs.

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies · 2020

01

Key Findings

  • 01Information deficiency barrier
  • 02Education disability barrier
  • 03High investment cost barrier
  • 04Awareness barrier
  • 05Academic inadequacy barrier
02

Application

Design takeaway

Focus on bridging knowledge and awareness gaps through targeted education and communication strategies, as these are perceived as more significant impediments to sustainable construction than upfront costs.

How to apply

When designing sustainable building projects, consider incorporating comprehensive educational components for the project team and end-users, and develop clear communication strategies to highlight the benefits and feasibility of sustainable approaches.

Project actions

  • 01When researching sustainable design, consider surveying professionals to understand their perceived challenges.
  • 02Develop a scale or questionnaire to measure specific barriers related to your design project's context.
  • 03Analyze the results to see if awareness or cost is a bigger issue for your target users or industry.
03

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the primary barriers preventing the widespread adoption of sustainable construction practices within the Turkish construction industry?
MethodSurvey-based quantitative research and scale development.
ProcedureA survey was administered to architects, civil engineers, and project managers in the Turkish construction industry. Explanatory factor analysis was used to identify and group the barriers into distinct categories, leading to the development of a 'Potential Barriers to Sustainable Construction' scale.
SampleNot explicitly stated in the abstract, but implied to be a significant number of professionals within the Turkish construction industry.
ContextThe Turkish Construction Industry.

Variables

IV["Type of barrier (e.g., information deficiency, education disability, high investment cost, awareness, academic inadequacy, insufficient legal framework, inadequate incentive)."]
DV["Perceived significance/level of the barrier."]
CV["Profession of the respondent (architect, civil engineer, other).","Location within the Turkish construction industry."]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Develops a specific scale for measuring barriers to sustainable construction.
  • +Identifies distinct categories of barriers through factor analysis.
  • +Provides empirical data from a specific industry context.

Limitations

This study focused on one country; barriers might differ in other regions. The study relies on self-reported data, which can be influenced by personal biases.

Reliability & validity

The use of explanatory factor analysis suggests a rigorous approach to scale development, aiming for construct validity. Reliability would typically be assessed through internal consistency measures (e.g., Cronbach's alpha) for the developed scale, though not detailed in the abstract.

Think critically

If awareness and education are bigger barriers than cost, what innovative design strategies can be employed to increase both knowledge and perceived value of sustainable construction, beyond traditional marketing or cost-saving arguments?

05

Design Principles

"Effective sustainable design implementation requires addressing both the knowledge and motivational aspects of stakeholders, not just the economic factors."

Understanding the primary drivers that hinder sustainable construction is crucial for developing effective strategies. This insight suggests that efforts focused on education, training, and public awareness campaigns may yield greater returns in promoting sustainability than solely addressing financial incentives or cost reductions.

06

What This Means for Your Design

People building things think it's harder to be 'green' because they don't know enough or aren't aware of the benefits, rather than just because it costs more money.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Use this research to justify the importance of addressing specific barriers in your design project's context.
  • 2.Cite this study when discussing the challenges of sustainable design implementation.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

(2020). Potential Barriers to Sustainable Construction: A Model Proposal. Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies. https://doi.org/10.29187/jscmt.2020.48 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/7eb13338-515d-4778-b1ad-ff1a28e08393/information-and-awareness-gaps-are-greater-barriers-to-sustainable-construction-than-cost

Paragraph starter

Research indicates that professionals in the construction industry perceive a significant gap in information and awareness as greater barriers to sustainable practices than the initial investment costs. This suggests that educational initiatives and targeted communication campaigns are critical for fostering the adoption of sustainable methods, alongside addressing financial considerations.

09

Source

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Potential Barriers to Sustainable Construction: A Model Proposal

journal · 2020

View source

Questions about this research

What does the research say about information and awareness gaps are greater barriers to sustainable construction than cost?
Focus on bridging knowledge and awareness gaps through targeted education and communication strategies, as these are perceived as more significant impediments to sustainable construction than upfront costs. Evidence: Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies (2020).
Why does "Information and Awareness Gaps are Greater Barriers to Sustainable Construction Than Cost" matter for design?
Understanding the primary drivers that hinder sustainable construction is crucial for developing effective strategies. This insight suggests that efforts focused on education, training, and public awareness campaigns may yield greater returns in promoting sustainability than solely addressing financial incentives or cost reductions.
How can designers apply this research?
Focus on bridging knowledge and awareness gaps through targeted education and communication strategies, as these are perceived as more significant impediments to sustainable construction than upfront costs.
What were the main findings?
Information deficiency barrier. Education disability barrier. High investment cost barrier. Awareness barrier
What research method was used?
Survey-based quantitative research and scale development. with Not explicitly stated in the abstract, but implied to be a significant number of professionals within the Turkish construction industry..
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing sustainable building projects, consider incorporating comprehensive educational components for the project team and end-users, and develop clear communication strategies to highlight the benefits and feasibility of sustainable approaches.
What are the limitations?
The findings are specific to the Turkish construction industry and may not be universally applicable. The study relies on self-reported perceptions, which can be subjective.
Is there evidence that sustainable construction affects design outcomes?
Professionals in the Turkish construction sector identified several key barriers to sustainable construction, including a lack of information, inadequate education, high costs, low awareness, academic shortcomings, insufficient regulations, and a lack of incentives. Notably, the perceived impact of education and awaren Source: Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies (2020).
Where does this barriers sustainable research apply?
The Turkish Construction Industry. It sits within sustainability research on designdex.org.

Related research topics

sustainable construction design research · evidence on sustainable construction · does sustainable construction improve design outcomes · barriers sustainable studies for designers · sustainable construction and barriers sustainable findings · sustainability research evidence