Infrastructure design stage considerations for environmental sustainability in Zambia

Abstract

Purpose While previous studies have highlighted the importance of incorporating environmental sustainability in building designs, there is a paucity of studies that assess the extent to which design teams in developing countries consider environmental sustainability at the building design stage. Therefore, using Zambia as a case study, this study examined the extent to which infrastructure design teams in a developing country consider environmental sustainability at the design stage. Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative research approach using structured interviews because there are hardly any studies which have explored the extent to which designers incorporate environmental sustainability in infrastructure designs in developing countries. The data is analysed thematically using the ATLAS.ti software. Findings The results show that environmental sustainability is not an important design consideration because it is secondary to functional, technical and aesthetic considerations. Environmental considerations are also made in an ad hoc manner and when it is cost-effective for the project. Regulatory requirements pertaining to environmental protection are adhered to without any cost considerations. It was, therefore, theorised that building design teams in developing countries make technical, functional and aesthetic consideration during the infrastructure design stage ahead of environmental considerations. Originality/value There is a paucity of studies that have investigated whether building infrastructure designers consider issues of environmental sustainability at the design stage in developing countries. The findings have practical implications on how developing countries can foster environmental sustainability at the design stage and avoid generating a building infrastructure stock that will require environmental resilience adaptation in the future.

From waste to resource: demystifying the policy challenges and identifying opportunities for a circular economy in Zambia

“…Some possible reasons behind low enforcement could link to capacity and financial constraints, for instance a lack of physical presence of government ministries and agencies. This finding mirrors that of Zulu et al (2022) who also found that the lack of physical presence of ZEMA means that there are no repercussions for non-compliance. The findings of this study are preliminary so it is important to fully examine the reasons behind these gaps, as studies indicate that they can be wide-ranging and intertwined (Chileshe and Moonga, 2019;Behuria, 2021).…”

“…For instance, SWRMA's waste is a resource umbrella principle is fundamental but requires implementation of complimentary measures (e.g., SIs). Similar challenges have been identified in Zambia, such as regarding sustainable infrastructure (Zulu et al, 2022) and the Zambia clean-up campaigns (Chileshe and Moonga, 2019).…”