Ejidike, C C; Mewomo, M C and Anugwo, I C (2024) Assessment of construction professionals' awareness of the smart building concepts in the Nigerian construction industry. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 22(5), pp. 1491-1504. ISSN 1726-0531
Abstract
Purpose: The current movement toward digitisation has promoted the adoption of smart building technology globally. Despite its advantages, its usage in developing countries such as Nigeria is still very low. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate construction professionals' awareness of smart building concepts (SBCs) in the Nigerian construction industry and identify the parameters by which SBCs can be measured. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative survey was carried out using a questionnaire to gather relevant data in the study area. This paper was conducted on 363 registered construction professionals in the Nigerian construction industry. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Kruskal–Wallis H test analysis. Findings: This paper indicated that the majority of Nigerian construction professionals are aware of SBCs. Furthermore, the Kruskal–Wallis H test shows no significant difference between the awareness level of the various construction professionals. This paper further revealed energy management systems, IT network connectivity, safety and security management systems and building automation systems as the most significant parameters in which SBCs can be measured. Practical implications: This paper identified significant parameters influencing SBCs awareness in the Nigerian construction industry. These parameters can be integrated into the building during the design stage and can be incorporated into the policymaking process of construction firms to promote the awareness of SBCs and encourage practices related to construction sustainability. Originality/value: This paper provides empirical evidence on the awareness of SBCs among construction professionals and significant parameters influencing awareness in the Nigerian construction industry.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | environmental sustainability; green economy; sensors; smart building; questionnaire survey |
| Index terms: | construction professional, construction industry, statistics, security management, smart building technology, Nigeria, methodology, smart building, design stage, evidence, questionnaire, energy management system, environmental sustainability, connectivity, developing country, building automation, movement, survey, construction firm |
| Subjects: | evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, construction type, mathematical modelling, organization, health behaviours and lifestyles, building innovation, professional practice, energy systems, research methods, automation and robotics, Geography, health safety and environment, professional development, development economics, networking, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Sustainability, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, International Construction, Design Practice, Digital Applications |
| 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