Amos Darko

Purpose: Green building labels (GBL) have gained substantial attention as a solution for promoting sustainability in the built environment. Therefore, many studies have been conducted on drivers for GBL adoption. However, there have been limited studies identifying the relationships between drivers. This study aims to develop a model of drivers to promote GBL adoption in developing countries, using Brazil as a case study. Unlike previous studies, the proposed model identifies the relationships between the drivers. Design/methodology/approach: Following a comprehensive literature review, data were collected through a questionnaire survey with 78 professionals with green building experience. Validated interpretative structural modeling (VISM) was used to analyze the data. Findings: Six key constructs were identified as fundamental drivers for GBL adoption in Brazil: (1) market attractiveness, (2) optimization of the certification process, (3) intangible benefits, (4) institutional support, (5) environmental awareness and (6) cost reduction with GBL. Surprisingly, client demand is not a significant driver for GBL adoption. Originality/value: The model analysis indicates that Brazil can contribute a valuable example for the world on how a national policy can increase stakeholder awareness of GBL. The model presents the drivers in three phases of implementation that could contribute to the adoption of GBL in Brazil, which may serve as a model for other developing countries. Furthermore, the study discusses the low client demand for GBL and how the developed model can help overcome this challenge. This driver model provides a basis for defining strategies that policymakers and practitioners can adopt to encourage GB certification to improve the environment, economy and human health. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the relationships between the drivers for GBL adoption.

Purpose: The three-to-five-year wait for public housing in Hong Kong (HK) illustrates the housing shortage. The government has resorted to various approaches of transitional housing supplies. One of which is building transitional housing on vacant land as a temporary solution. Such housing facilities are built for a minimum of seven years or even less. When the hosting site is no longer accessible, the transitional housing is deconstructed and moved to a new available location to serve a second lifecycle. Ensuring circular economy (CE) adoption in transitional housing is essential to reduce construction and demolition waste and to promote circular transitional housing. Design/methodology/approach: Using institutional and innovation adoption theories as a foundation, this study identifies key institutional obstacles to CE adoption in transitional housing in HK. Major CE barriers from a review were refined through expert interviews. Collected questionnaire data from construction professionals were analysed. Findings: Findings revealed significant differences in underlying institutional barriers between the views of CE adopters and non-adopters. From the perspective of CE adopters, regulative barriers were the most critical, followed by normative barriers. However, from the non-adopters, normative barriers were paramount and then regulative barriers. Research limitations/implications: The study was conducted with a relatively small sample size (i.e., 51) due to difficulties in collecting responses to the questionnaire. Originality/value: Uncovering the barriers is the first step to developing a viable solution for CE in transitional housing. The findings could inform decision-makers of general and tailored policies to expedite CE transition by innovators, early adopters and early majority and to begin CE implementation by the late majority and the laggards to promote circular transitional housing in HK and beyond.

Purpose: Net Zero carbon (NZC) retrofitting of existing residential buildings is a valuable solution to lower carbon emissions from prevailing residential buildings. While previous studies have identified the benefits of NZC retrofitting, they fail to identify the impacts of the benefits on NZC retrofitting and how the benefits interact with one another. This study aims to (1) identify and rank the benefits of residential building NZC retrofitting, (2) investigate the impacts of the benefits on NZC retrofitting and (3) examine the relationships between the benefits. Design/methodology/approach: This study followed a quantitative approach to evaluate the perspectives of building occupants. Accordingly, the study used mean score ranking, factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to rank, group and assess the interrelationship among the benefits of residential building NZC retrofitting. Findings: The results of quantitative analysis indicate that “lower building maintenance costs” is the most significant benefit, while social benefits, environmental benefits, and economic benefits are the underlying groupings of benefits. The results of PLS-SEM showed that economic and environmental benefits significantly impacted achieving NZC residential buildings. Originality/value: This study, the first of its kind in the NZC domain, offers insights into residential building NZC retrofitting. The model indicating the relationship between benefits would deliver an in-depth interpretation of the impact of benefits for residential building NZC retrofitting, which would be highly beneficial in promoting a zero-emission built environment.

Purpose: Digital twin (DT) is an innovative concept within the construction sector that utilizes real-world performance data to create a virtual model, enabling optimized decision-making. Building net zero carbon (NZC) retrofitting offers an opportunity to reduce global carbon emissions. However, decision-makers face challenges in making smart and sustainable decisions in NZC retrofitting. DT can improve the smartness and sustainability of the decision-making practice in NZC retrofitting, providing promising solutions. Hence, this study assesses the potential of DT for smart and sustainable decision-making in NZC retrofitting. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a three-stage methodology, which included initial work, systematic review and analysis and discussion. Accordingly, the study investigated 29 relevant academic publications on DT and building retrofitting to NZC, using content analysis as the major analytical approach. Findings: The findings demonstrated the effective application of DT in assessing carbon emissions, energy usage, comfort levels and financial savings within the context of building NZC retrofitting. However, it highlighted a lack of integrated focus on the environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainability in NZC retrofitting. Furthermore, the review identified the technologies utilized in implementing DT for building NZC retrofitting as data-related, modeling-related and model simulation-related technologies. Centered on the identified gaps, the study provides recommendations for building NZC retrofitting. Originality/value: The identified gaps and proposed directions would guide future researchers interested in implementing DT to make sustainable decisions in building NZC retrofitting.

Building information modeling (BIM)-based whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) of buildings is critical to reaching Hong Kong’s 2050 Net Zero target. However, the adoption of BIM-based WLCA is not as apparent as it should have been. This study aims to examine the criticality of various challenges that prevent the wide adoption of BIM-based WLCA in Hong Kong. To this end, 20 challenges were identified from a comprehensive literature review, and a questionnaire survey was performed with 80 construction professionals. The mean score ranking analysis results indicated that 13 challenges were critical. The top three most critical challenges were “data collection difficulty due to the fragmented nature of the construction industry”; “lack of standardized and regional carbon emissions datasets”; and “lack of training and technical knowledge of 6D BIM applications and WLCA”. The factor analysis further revealved that the challenges were segregated into six key groups: information technology (IT), market readiness, workflow, project management, organizational, and knowledge challenges. The IT challenges were the most dominant. The findings would be useful to policymakers and practitioners in developing suitable policies and strategies to overcome the challenges and promote the wider adoption of BIM-based WLCA towards reaching the 2050 Net Zero target. They also contribute to the body of knowledge by analyzing the challenges of BIM-based WLCA within the context of a high-rise high-density city. Although the study was conducted in Hong Kong, the findings and implications may be applicable to other jurisdictions where Net Zero by 2050 remains a crucial target.