UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Environmental performance indicators for assessing sustainability of projects in the Ghanaian construction industry

Agyekum, K; Botchway, SY; Adinyira, E; Opoku, A; (2021) Environmental performance indicators for assessing sustainability of projects in the Ghanaian construction industry. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment 10.1108/SASBE-11-2020-0161. (In press). Green open access

[thumbnail of Opoku_Environmental performance indicators for assessing sustainability of projects in the Ghanaian construction industry_AAM.pdf]
Preview
Text
Opoku_Environmental performance indicators for assessing sustainability of projects in the Ghanaian construction industry_AAM.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (553kB) | Preview

Abstract

PURPOSE: Recent reports based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) have revealed that no country is in line with achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, with the slowest progress being witnessed mainly on goals that are focused on the environment. This study examines environmental performance indicators for assessing the sustainability of building projects. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study uses an explanatory sequential design with an initial quantitative instrument phase, followed by a qualitative data collection phase. An extensive critical comparative review of the literature resulted in the identification of ten environmental sustainability indicators. One hundred and sixty-seven questionnaire responses based upon these indicators from the Ghanaian construction industry were received. Data were coded with SPSS v22, analysed descriptively, and via inferential analysis. These data were then validated through semi-structured interviews with six interviewees who are fellows of their respective professional bodies, a senior academic (professor in construction project delivery) and a government official. Data obtained from the semi-structured validation interviews were analysed through the side-by-side comparison of the qualitative data with the quantitative data. FINDINGS: The findings from the study suggest that all the indicators were important in assessing building projects' environmental sustainability across the entire life cycle. Key among the identified indicators is the effects of the project on “water quality, air quality, energy use and conservation, and environmental compliance and management”. The interviewees further agreed to and confirmed the importance of these identified indicators for assessing the environmental sustainability of building projects in Ghana. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Compared to existing studies, this study adopts the exploratory sequential design to identify and examine the critical indicators in assessing the environmental sustainability across the entire lifecycle of building projects in a typical developing country setting, i.e. Ghana. It reveals areas of prime concern in the drive to place the local construction industry on a trajectory towards achieving environmental sustainability:

Type: Article
Title: Environmental performance indicators for assessing sustainability of projects in the Ghanaian construction industry
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1108/SASBE-11-2020-0161
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-11-2020-0161
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
Keywords: Sustainable development goals; Environmental sustainability; sustainability indicators; Sustainability assessment; Sustainability performance; Building projects; Ghana
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10132561
Downloads since deposit
1,434Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item