Nikyema, G A B (2020) Barriers to the adoption of green building materials and technologies in developing countries: The case of Burkina Faso. PhD thesis, Clemson University, USA.
Abstract
This research examines barriers to the adoption of green building materials and technologies in developing countries, using the case of Burkina Faso. Developing countries understand the need to incorporate sustainability as part of their national agenda; however, their ability to implement it is hampered by actual and/or perceived barriers. To gain insight on these barriers, this study solicited perceptions from various stakeholders from the design and construction field in Burkina Faso. The barriers explored in this research are grouped into the following five categories as defined in the literature: (1) government, (2) human, (3) knowledge and information, (4) market, and (5) cost and risk. A mixed method sequential exploratory design using both quantitative (i.e. , online questionnaire) and qualitative (i.e. , semi-structured interview) tools was carried out. In the quantitative phase, descriptive and inferential analysis was employed to identify the most prevalent barriers within the five categories in Burkina Faso. In the qualitative phase, data was gathered from interviews and archival data, and inductive analysis was used to develop interpretive themes and explanatory concepts. The findings from the two phases identified 31 barriers to the adoption of green building materials and technologies, with 14 barriers specific to Burkina Faso itself. These barriers were either confirmed by the literature or identified as specific to Burkina Faso. Findings were compared to the existing literature from the United States of America as a representative of developed countries to help anticipate how to avoid barriers as Burkina Faso develops its built environment. From the understanding of the barriers, guidelines were developed, which are the first step to initiate changes in policies and practices aimed at increasing green design and construction in Burkina Faso, and in West Africa in general.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Blouin, V Y |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | built environment; market; national agenda; sustainability; developing countries; government; green building; stakeholders; Burkina Faso; United States; interview |
| Index terms: | interview, Burkina Faso, developing country, United States, green building material, questionnaire, green building, developed country, mixed method, West Africa, national agenda, United States of America, built environment, design and construction |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, design practice, infrastructure and transport systems, political science, contractual arrangements, physical geography and landforms, Geography, development economics, sustainable engineering |
| Topics: | International Construction, Urban Studies, Design Practice, Governance, Research Practice, Procurement, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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