Dadzie, J; Runeson, G and Ding, G (2020) Assessing determinants of sustainable upgrade of existing buildings: The case of sustainable technologies for energy efficiency. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 18(1), pp. 270-292. ISSN 1726-0531
Abstract
Purpose: Estimates show that close to 90% of the buildings we will need in 2050 are already built and occupied. The increase in the existing building stock has affected energy consumption thereby negatively impacting the environment. The purpose of this paper is to assess determinants of sustainable upgrade of existing buildings through the adoption and application of sustainable technologies. The study also ranks sustainable technologies adopted by the professionals who participated in the survey with an in-built case study. Design/methodology/approach: As part of the overall methodology, a detailed literature review on the nature and characteristics of sustainable upgrade and the sustainable technologies adopted was undertaken. A survey questionnaire with an in-built case study was designed to examine all the sustainable technologies adopted to improve energy consumption in Australia. The survey was administered to sustainability consultants, architects, quantity surveyors, facility managers and engineers in Australia. Findings: The results show a total of 24 technologies which are mostly adopted to improve energy consumption in existing buildings. A factor analysis shows the main components as: lighting and automation, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HAVC) systems and equipment, envelope, renewable energy and passive technologies. Originality/value: The findings bridge the gap in the literature on the adoption and application of sustainable technologies to upgrade existing buildings. The technologies can be adopted to reduce the excessive energy consumption patterns in existing buildings.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | energy consumption; environment; environmental performance; existing buildings; sustainability; sustainable technologies; sustainable upgrade |
| Index terms: | case study, energy efficiency, quantity surveying, environmental performance, Australia, engineer, architect, factor analysis, energy consumption, determinant, estimate, automation, manager, survey, ventilation, building stock, literature review, questionnaire, methodology, air conditioning, renewable energy |
| Subjects: | asset management, statistical analysis, environmental engineering, research methods, sustainability assessment, automation and robotics, Geography, sustainability and energy, financial and cost management, energy systems, data analysis and analytics, air quality, data collection methods, risk assessment, profession, practitioner |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here