Drivers and effects of sustainable construction in the South African Construction Industry

Abstract

Sustainable construction is hardly practised in Africa, despite the consistent campaign for its adoption. This study investigates the drivers and effects of sustainable construction in South Africa. The quantitative survey research design was adopted for the study and the respondents were the construction organisations in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study identified 17 significant drivers of sustainable construction, with construction cost as the dominant variable. The important environmental (8), economic (12), and social benefits (7) of sustainable construction were also determined. The challenges (24) of sustainable construction were also identified. The study recommended that measures for low construction cost should be put in place, and awareness campaigns should be enhanced. Economic benefits are still behind environmental benefits, and this could affect some prospective adopters. Lack of knowledge and weak economies were prevalent challenges that underscore the need for Western support for African nations to comfortably adopt sustainable construction.

Volhoubare konstruksie word min in Afrika beoefen ten spyte van die konsekwente veldtog vir die aanvaarding daarvan. Hierdie studie ondersoek die dryfvere en uitwerking van volhoubare konstruksie in Suid-Afrika. Die kwantitatiewe opnamenavorsingsontwerp is vir die studie gebruik en die respondente was konstruksieorganisasies in Johannesburg, Suid-Afrika. Die studie het 17 beduidende drywers van volhoubare konstruksie geïdentifiseer met konstruksiekoste as die dominante veranderlike. Die belangrike omgewings- (8), ekonomiese (12) en maatskaplike voordele (7) van volhoubare konstruksie is ook bepaal. Die uitdagings (24) van volhoubare konstruksie is ook geïdentifiseer. Die studie het aanbeveel dat maatreëls vir lae konstruksiekoste ingestel moet word, en bewusmakingsveldtogte verbeter moet word. Ekonomiese voordele is steeds agter omgewingsvoordele en dit kan sommige voornemende gebruikers raak. Gebrek aan kennis en swak ekonomieë was algemene uitdagings wat die behoefte aan Westerse ondersteuning vir Afrika-lande beklemtoon om gemaklik volhoubare konstruksie aan te neem.