This research paper aims at examining the concept of sustainability in the Ghanaian construction industry with the objective of identifying possible barriers to sustainable construction in the Ghanaian construction industry. Consequently, research data was collected through a questionnaire survey of randomly selected professionals in the construction industry in Ghana. Data collected was mainly analyzed using Relative Importance Index to rank barriers identified. The results show that key barriers to sustainable construction are lack of demand for sustainable buildings, lack of strategy to promote sustainable construction, higher initial cost, lack of public awareness and lack of government support.

Abstract:Globally, only 2% of existing building stock is built yearly; the remaining 98% already exist. Energy consumption and indoor thermal comfort of the existing building stock are not encouraging. This is due to many challenges associated with existing buildings; the challenges range from cracks, leakages, poor insulation, heat losses and high rate of unsustainable technologies. This paper investigates possible barriers facing the adoption and application of sustainable technologies (STs) for sustainable or energy-efficient upgrade of existing buildings. New STs are manufactured on a regular basis to meet improved energy efficiency standards, yet there are minimal actions/attempts to adopt and apply improved technologies in existing buildings for energy efficiency. Indeed, there are limited studies focused on the use of qualitative approaches to identify barriers to adoption and use of STs. Thus, a semi-structured interview approach was adopted and applied using sustainability/energy efficiency professionals, building services engineers, project managers, architects, and facility managers in Australia. The results indicate that barriers to the adoption and application of sustainable technologies are perceived benefits in demolish-and-build, age of building, cost of STs, perceived poor payback time, unreliable energy-savings projections, existing design, hidden and overall cost of renovation, and cost of STs.

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.

The construction industry has been seen as one of the hazardous industries. This is because the industry has a poor health and safety performance record compared to other industries all over the world. The Labour Act provides that it is the duty of an employer to ensure that every worker employed works under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions. The objective of this paper is to identify how clauses in the Labour Act 651 addressing appropriate health and safety standards are used in construction sites and identify possible challenges facing the adaptation of the requirements of Health and Safety in the Labour Act. Using convenience and snowball sampling techniques, 200 questionnaires were distributed to architects, quantity surveyors, site and structural engineers. One hundred and twenty-one were retrieved representing a response rate of 61.5%. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, and Relative Important Index ranking. The findings indicate that clauses in the Labour Act 651 addressing appropriate health and safety standards are poorly adhered to. The findings also indicate that the key challenges facing the adaptation of the Labour Act are; inadequate training, poor risk assessment, cost, reporting shortfalls ,lack of H&S professionals, inadequate H&S policies, data collection shortfalls, lack of H&S education, communication shortfalls and workers attitudes towards Health and Safety.

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