Agyekum, K; Adinyira, E and Oppon, J A (2022) Factors limiting the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 40(2), pp. 202-218. ISSN 23984708
Abstract
Purpose: The increased awareness of global environmental threats like climate change has created an upsurge of interest in low embodied carbon building materials for green building delivery. Though the literature advocates for the use of hemp-based building materials, there is no evidence of studies to explore its potential use in Ghana. Therefore, this study explores the potential factors that limit the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: A structured questionnaire was used to solicit the views of built environment professionals operating in construction, consulting and developer firms. The questions were developed through a comparative review of the related literature and complemented with a pilot review. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: On the average, the majority of the respondents showed a moderate level of awareness of hemp and its related uses in the construction industry. Also, certain key factors like the perceived association of hemp with marijuana, lack of expertise in the production of hemp-related building materials, farmers not getting the needed clearance for the cultivation of hemp, lack of legislation by the government in the legalisation of hemp and the inadequate knowledge of consumers on the benefits of hemp-based building materials were identified as potential limitations to the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery. Originality/value: The findings from this study provide insights into a less investigated area in sub-Saharan Africa and further provide new and additional information to the current state-of-the-art on the potential for the use of hemp in the building construction sector.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | alternative building material; climate change; Ghana; hemp; hemp-based materials; sustainable building material |
| Index terms: | climate change, hemp, sustainable material, state of the art, evidence, green building, questionnaire, methodology, sustainable building material, building construction, Sub-Saharan Africa, legalization, legislation, embodied carbon, construction industry, statistics, building material, built environment, Ghana |
| Subjects: | legal systems, building materials, sustainable materials, environmental impact, climate science, research dissemination and communication, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, mathematical modelling, infrastructure and transport systems, industry analysis, building construction, Geography, design practice, physical geography and landforms, research methods |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Sustainability, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Construction Materials, Legal Issues, Design Practice, Urban Studies |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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