PurposeThis study examines the level of awareness and practice of the principles of circular economy (CE) among built environment (BE) professionals in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire survey was used to solicit the views of 162 BE professionals working in construction, consulting and developer firms on the issue under investigation. Data were analysed through descriptive and inferential analysis.FindingsThe findings revealed that the BE professionals possessed moderate awareness of the six CE principles (i.e. repair, recycle, reuse, renewable energy usage, reduce and redesign) examined. The findings further revealed that only two out of the six principles (i.e. repair and reuse) received some moderate level of practice among the professionals.Practical implicationsPractically, the findings would be relevant to government, policymakers, researchers and other construction professionals. For the government and policymakers, these findings would inform them on the laws and policies to enact to increase awareness and practice of CE principles. For researchers, these findings will assist in exploring gaps for further studies. For the construction professionals, the findings would inform them of the need to step up measures to practice the various principles of CE in their firms adequately.Originality/valueThis study provides insights into an under-investigated topic in the construction industry worldwide. It offers new and additional insights into the current state-of-the-art practice of CE principles among BE professionals.

Technology has undoubtedly played a vital role in improving construction procedures and processes for many years. However, its application for health and safety monitoring and management has not been fully exploited in the Ghanaian construction industry. This study aims at exploring the current technologies essential for health and safety in the Ghanaian construction industry. Three specific objectives are set: (1) to identify the current health and safety technologies important in the Ghanaian construction industry; (2) to examine the level of utilization of the current health and safety technologies in the Ghanaian construction industry; (3) to identify the barriers to the adoption of the current health and safety technologies in the construction industry. A structured questionnaire is used to solicit the views of 123 construction professionals who double as health and safety officers in large construction firms in Ghana. The questions are developed through a critical comparative review of the related literature. The data are analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reveal that key among the current technologies important for health and safety in the Ghanaian construction industry are wearable safety devices, geographic information systems, sensing technologies, virtual reality, and BIM. The findings further reveal a moderate level of usage of the key technologies among construction professionals in Ghana. Key among the barriers to the adoption of these technologies for health and safety in the Ghanaian construction industry are the factors ‘excess costs related to acquiring new technologies’, ‘weak innovation culture’, ‘lack of continuous training of the workforce in adapting to the technologies’, ‘resistance to change with aging workforce’, and ‘little or no governmental support and regulations for the use of the technologies’. The findings from this study provide insight into the ever-increasing state-of-the-art technologies used in the construction industry.

PurposeThere are significantly fewer women than men in managerial positions, mainly project management. This problem is noticeable in the construction and engineering sectors, traditionally male-dominated industries with leadership much dependent on masculine qualities. This study examines the obstacles to the career progression of professional female project managers (PFPMs) in the Ghanaian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachTwenty potential obstacles to women's career progression in the construction industry were identified from a comprehensive review of the literature. A questionnaire was prepared and administered among eighty project managers who work in large construction firms in Ghana. Data obtained were analysed using one sample t-test, Kendall's concordance test, Chi-square test and exploratory factor analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest the significance of all the twenty factors as potential obstacles to the career progression of PFPMs. The exploratory factor analysis identified five underlying grouped obstacles: “leadership and human capital related issues”, “issues related to discrimination of all forms”, “career aspiration and planning issues”, “female related role conflicts”, and “recruitment and selection issues”.Research limitations/implicationsThe subjective nature of the views of the respondents could influence the evaluation of the obstacles. With this study only exploring the dimensions underlying the significant obstacles, future studies could examine the interrelationships between the various obstacles and move on to determine their impacts on the career progression of professional female PMs as well.Practical implicationsHaving an in-depth understanding of these obstacles, stakeholders and other industry practitioners in Ghana could make informed decisions on measures to put in place to address some of these critical issues to raise the standard of professional female PMs in the construction industry. Policymakers and gender advocates in Ghana could also take up some of the critical obstacles identified and provide suitable strategies to educate and create the needed awareness of the industry on those obstacles. Practically, the findings from this study can be valuable for informing decision-making at different management levels in the construction industry.Originality/valueWith country-specific (Ghana) obstacles identified, the findings significantly contribute to the literature on the career advancement of females in the construction sector.

The participation of built environment (BE) professionals is essential in pushing the agenda of green buildings (GBs) in the construction industry. Considering willingness to pay (WTP) in light of these professionals plays a role in the management of the construction industry as one of the major energy consumers and emitters of greenhouse gases. This study, from an extended perspective of green building, seeks to examine the factors that influence Built Environment (BE) Professionals’ willingness to pay for green buildings in Ghana. A questionnaire survey was used to solicit the views of the professionals on the theme under investigation. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to obtain 153 responses from BE professionals such as architects, quantity surveyors, construction managers, and project managers in Kumasi and Accra. Both descriptive (mean, standard deviation, and standard error) and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test) were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that perceived benefit stood out as the topmost factor that BE professionals consider in their willingness to pay for green buildings. This paper could serve as an eye-opener to aid in the development of strategies and influencing mechanisms to stimulate the interest of various groups of BE professionals in delivering a more environmentally friendly construction system. This study contributes to the state-of-the-art studies regarding willingness to pay for GBs. The global literature is largely focused on the willingness of household consumers/clients to pay for GBs to the detriment of the BE professionals, who play key role in GB developments, and encourage their adoption. The novelty of this study stems from the fact that it is the first time the views of BE professionals are examined when it comes to their willingness to pay for green buildings.

It is thought that there is a low level of awareness of key competencies that drive material waste reduction at the construction stage of a project which has led to the low impact of waste minimization in the construction industry. This study, therefore, explores the key competencies for driving waste minimization at the construction stage of projects. Twenty-four (24) key factors that drive CW minimization at the construction stage of projects were derived from a thorough review of existing literature. The research adopted the quantitative approach whereby a questionnaire survey involving 53 construction professionals was conducted. Factor analysis was the statistical tool employed for the analysis of the data gathered. The findings of the study revealed four major competencies that drive CW minimization: Awareness Competency (AC), Managerial Competency (MC), Personnel Ability Competency (PAC), and Communication Competency (CC). The implementation of the key competencies from the findings of the study is highly recommended for the achievement of low waste in building projects. In view of this, it is recommended that government should enact legislative and fiscal measures to instill waste management habits in the construction industry. Several studies have investigated strategies or measures for CW minimization. However, this study focused on the knowledge and skills of construction stakeholders as the main component of waste minimization competencies.