Gyadu-Asiedu, Nana Akua Asabea; Aigbavboa, Clinton and Stephen, Seyi (2026) Nature-based solutions and materials promoting net-zero construction in South Africa: Trends and insights from a bibliometric review. Journal of Construction Business and Management, 8(2), pp. 28-42. ISSN 2521-0165
Abstract
Buildings contribute approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating urgent action toward net-zero construction through Nature-based Solutions (NbS). While NbS have been studied individually, a systematic synthesis of how they integrate with sustainable materials for decarbonisation remains limited. This bibliometric review synthesises emerging trends in NbS and sustainable materials for net-zero construction, addressing a critical knowledge gap in the field. Using structured database analysis, 30 peer-reviewed studies were systematically retrieved and analysed through cluster analysis to identify thematic patterns and research trajectories. Five key research themes emerged: (1) Innovative Strategies for Decarbonisation and Circular Economy, (2) Sustainable Building Materials and Carbon Management, (3) Energy Efficiency and Decision-Making in Sustainable Architectural Design, (4) Zero-Carbon Strategies in Construction and Housing, and (5) Embodied Carbon and Sustainability in Construction Supply Chains. The analysis reveals that NbS significantly reduce carbon emissions, optimises supply chains, and enhances energy efficiency in building systems. However, critical gaps persist in integrating life-cycle analysis with nature-based materials and in addressing regional adoption disparities. This bibliometric approach provides a quantitative foundation for identifying research priorities and policy implications in sustainable construction, offering insights to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working toward environmentally conscious building practices.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | energy-efficient buildings; nature-based solutions; net-zero construction; sustainable construction; zero-carbon materials |
| Index terms: | architectural design, building practice, housing, South Africa, sustainable material, practitioner, decision-making, greenhouse gas emission, sustainable building material, cluster analysis, strategy, sustainable construction, embodied carbon, policy implication, energy-efficient building, disparity, construction supply chain, building system, circular economy, database, nature-based solution, carbon emission, energy efficiency |
| Subjects: | engineering systems, construction logistics, sustainability and energy, data analysis and analytics, design practice, management, biodiversity, data management, decision analysis, environmental health, construction type, policy studies, environmental impact, sustainable materials, climate science, practitioner, sustainable design, Geography, sustainable construction, building construction, social justice |
| Topics: | Construction Materials, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Governance, Construction Technology, Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Sustainability, Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, Ethics |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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