*2.1.6 Unavailability of green building materials*

Another barrier to the adoption and use of green architecture is the scarcity of green products and materials in the building construction industry. Various studies highlighted that most construction projects in developing countries faced difficulties in sourcing green products locally [49, 51–53]. Environmental friendly products that impact less on the environment and are needed for the utilisation of the principles of green architecture are not easily and readily available for use in the building construction industry. Even when these products and materials are available in developing countries such as Nigeria, the delivery time is usually lengthy.


#### **Table 1.**

*Factors hindering the use of green architecture.*

It takes a long period to deliver because most of these green products and materials are usually imported. Similarly, Davies and Davies submitted that the unavailability of green building materials and products locally in countries such as Nigeria serves as a major barrier to the adoption of sustainable architecture [51]. As such, built environment professionals find it impossible to relinquish the conventional methods of building construction. Therefore, indigenous companies that manufacture green building products and materials are needed for the growth and development of green architecture.

The various factors hindering the use of green architecture identified from the numerous literature reviewed above are summarised in **Table 1**.

#### **3. Research methodology**

The research primarily employed the deductive method to achieve the research aim. Data obtained from secondary sources such as textbooks, journals, workshops/ seminars/conference papers, magazines, newspapers and internet sources, etc. were used to review works of literature on sustainable architecture and develop a structured questionnaire that identifies the various factors hindering its use. The questionnaire was piloted on four respondents who are the Architects, Builders, Engineers, and other construction professionals to establish the various factors inhibiting the use of green architecture in Nigeria. Comments and observations from the preliminary survey were incorporated into the final questionnaire. The study employed a structured questionnaire administered to various built environment professionals in Nigeria. The structured questionnaire contained two parts. The first part presented the respondents' profile, made up of educational background, years of experience, and experience level with building construction. In contrast, the second part presented eight factors hindering the use of green architecture in Nigeria, which were deduced from literature. The various responses on each factor were placed on a five-point Likert scale. At the same time, the respondents were asked to indicate their degree of agreement with the factors on the Likert scale in which *Five (5) represents strongly agreed, four (4) represents agreed, three (3) represents undecided, two (2) represents disagreed, one (1) represents strongly disagreed,* and their values were ranked in order of importance to outline the level of significance of each factor. The frequency, percentage count, mean item score, and the relative importance index (RII) were used for data analyses and to indicate

**21**

*Exploring the Factors Hindering the Use of Green Architecture in Nigeria*

the relative importance of each variable, contributing to the factors. The relative importance index (RII) was computed as established by [59] in Eq. (1) below:

**n1—number of respondents who responded with 'strongly disagree'.**

**n5—number of respondents who responded with 'strongly agree'.**

The Primary data for this research work was obtained through online and manually distributed questionnaires to build environment professionals in Nigeria's construction industry, and the responses gathered were presented in **Table 2**. A total of 200 questionnaires were randomly distributed to various professionals in Nigeria's construction industry, out of which only 112 responded. 38.39% of the respondents are architects, 18.75% are builders, 32.14% are engineers, while 10.71% had other educational disciplines in the construction industry. The results revealed the average years of experience of the respondents to be between 5 and 15 years, implying that all the respondents have significant years of experience in the con-

**4.2 Perception of respondents on factors inhibiting the use of green** 

architecture in Nigeria based on a 5-point Likert scale.

**Table 3** presents the assessment of the various factors hindering the use of green

The factors hindering the use of green architecture, as identified from the literature and corroborated by various built environment professionals, were ranked according to their Mean Index Score (MIS) and Relative Importance Index (RII) as indicated in **Table 3** and **Figure 1**, respectively. The findings of the empirical analysis revealed that the most significant factors that hinder the adoption and use of green architecture in Nigeria are strongly linked to cost, whereas the least significant factors are closely linked to knowledge and technical capacity. Results from the study further revealed that about 70% of the respondents agreed that lack of financial and non-financial incentives that promote green architecture hinders its adoption and use in Nigeria, whereas 64% of the respondents agreed that insufficient support from the government hinders the adoption of sustainable architecture in Nigeria. The result is consistent with the assertion made by Ndihokubwayo et al. and Chan et al., who believed that most construction industries in developing countries are lagging in terms of providing support and incentives that encourage the incorporation of green architecture concepts into practice [39, 40]. As such, it is now evident that with the outcome of this study, Nigeria is not an exception. Therefore, the active participation of the government in the provision of incentives will undoubtedly encourage the promotion and adoption of green architecture for use in Nigeria. The finding of this study further supports the claim of Ametepey et al. and Du Plessis,

**n2—number of respondents who responded with 'disagree'. n3—number of respondents who responded with 'undecided'. n4—number of respondents who responded with 'agree'.**

RII = **5n5** <sup>+</sup> **4n4** <sup>+</sup> **3n3** <sup>+</sup> **2n2** <sup>+</sup> **n1** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **5**(**n5** <sup>+</sup> **n4** <sup>+</sup> **n3** <sup>+</sup> **n2** <sup>+</sup> **n1**)

(1)

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92403*

where

**4. Results and discussion**

**4.1 Respondents' profile**

struction industry.

**architecture in Nigeria**

*Exploring the Factors Hindering the Use of Green Architecture in Nigeria DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92403*

the relative importance of each variable, contributing to the factors. The relative importance index (RII) was computed as established by [59] in Eq. (1) below: RII = **5n5** <sup>+</sup> **4n4** <sup>+</sup> **3n3** <sup>+</sup> **2n2** <sup>+</sup> **n1** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **5**(**n5** <sup>+</sup> **n4** <sup>+</sup> **n3** <sup>+</sup> **n2** <sup>+</sup> **n1**)

$$\text{RII} = \frac{\\$\mathbf{n}\\$ + \mathbf{4n}\mathbf{4} + \mathbf{3n}\mathbf{3} + \mathbf{2n}\mathbf{2} + \mathbf{n1}}{\\$\mathbf{5(n5 + n4 + n3 + n2 + n1)}} \tag{1}$$

where

*Zero-Energy Buildings - New Approaches and Technologies*

It takes a long period to deliver because most of these green products and materials are usually imported. Similarly, Davies and Davies submitted that the unavailability of green building materials and products locally in countries such as Nigeria serves as a major barrier to the adoption of sustainable architecture [51]. As such, built environment professionals find it impossible to relinquish the conventional methods of building construction. Therefore, indigenous companies that manufacture green building products and materials are needed for the growth and development

6. Unavailability of green building materials [49, 51–53] 7. Insufficient support from the government [41, 42, 44, 45, 58] 8. Preference for other conventional building practices [25, 51]

**S/No Factors hindering the use of green architecture Sources** 1. Technology/capacity barrier [25–28] 2. Cultural and social resistance [27, 31, 32, 54] 3. High perceived cost associated with green architecture [25, 26, 32–34, 55] 4. Lack of incentives that promotes green architecture [21, 37, 40, 56]

[37, 47–50, 57]

5. Limited knowledge and awareness regarding the economic benefits and

prospects of green architecture

The various factors hindering the use of green architecture identified from the

The research primarily employed the deductive method to achieve the research aim. Data obtained from secondary sources such as textbooks, journals, workshops/ seminars/conference papers, magazines, newspapers and internet sources, etc. were used to review works of literature on sustainable architecture and develop a structured questionnaire that identifies the various factors hindering its use. The questionnaire was piloted on four respondents who are the Architects, Builders, Engineers, and other construction professionals to establish the various factors inhibiting the use of green architecture in Nigeria. Comments and observations from the preliminary survey were incorporated into the final questionnaire. The study employed a structured questionnaire administered to various built environment professionals in Nigeria. The structured questionnaire contained two parts. The first part presented the respondents' profile, made up of educational background, years of experience, and experience level with building construction. In contrast, the second part presented eight factors hindering the use of green architecture in Nigeria, which were deduced from literature. The various responses on each factor were placed on a five-point Likert scale. At the same time, the respondents were asked to indicate their degree of agreement with the factors on the Likert scale in which *Five (5) represents strongly agreed, four (4) represents agreed, three (3) represents undecided, two (2) represents disagreed, one (1) represents strongly disagreed,* and their values were ranked in order of importance to outline the level of significance of each factor. The frequency, percentage count, mean item score, and the relative importance index (RII) were used for data analyses and to indicate

numerous literature reviewed above are summarised in **Table 1**.

**20**

of green architecture.

**Table 1.**

**3. Research methodology**

*Factors hindering the use of green architecture.*

**n1—number of respondents who responded with 'strongly disagree'.**

**n2—number of respondents who responded with 'disagree'.**

**n3—number of respondents who responded with 'undecided'.**

**n4—number of respondents who responded with 'agree'.**

**n5—number of respondents who responded with 'strongly agree'.**

#### **4. Results and discussion**

#### **4.1 Respondents' profile**

The Primary data for this research work was obtained through online and manually distributed questionnaires to build environment professionals in Nigeria's construction industry, and the responses gathered were presented in **Table 2**. A total of 200 questionnaires were randomly distributed to various professionals in Nigeria's construction industry, out of which only 112 responded. 38.39% of the respondents are architects, 18.75% are builders, 32.14% are engineers, while 10.71% had other educational disciplines in the construction industry. The results revealed the average years of experience of the respondents to be between 5 and 15 years, implying that all the respondents have significant years of experience in the construction industry.

#### **4.2 Perception of respondents on factors inhibiting the use of green architecture in Nigeria**

**Table 3** presents the assessment of the various factors hindering the use of green architecture in Nigeria based on a 5-point Likert scale.

The factors hindering the use of green architecture, as identified from the literature and corroborated by various built environment professionals, were ranked according to their Mean Index Score (MIS) and Relative Importance Index (RII) as indicated in **Table 3** and **Figure 1**, respectively. The findings of the empirical analysis revealed that the most significant factors that hinder the adoption and use of green architecture in Nigeria are strongly linked to cost, whereas the least significant factors are closely linked to knowledge and technical capacity. Results from the study further revealed that about 70% of the respondents agreed that lack of financial and non-financial incentives that promote green architecture hinders its adoption and use in Nigeria, whereas 64% of the respondents agreed that insufficient support from the government hinders the adoption of sustainable architecture in Nigeria. The result is consistent with the assertion made by Ndihokubwayo et al. and Chan et al., who believed that most construction industries in developing countries are lagging in terms of providing support and incentives that encourage the incorporation of green architecture concepts into practice [39, 40]. As such, it is now evident that with the outcome of this study, Nigeria is not an exception. Therefore, the active participation of the government in the provision of incentives will undoubtedly encourage the promotion and adoption of green architecture for use in Nigeria. The finding of this study further supports the claim of Ametepey et al. and Du Plessis,


#### *Zero-Energy Buildings - New Approaches and Technologies*

#### **Table 2.**

*Respondents' profile data.*

who claimed that the majority of built environment professionals are not interested in green technological changes [27, 32]. This results consequently in cultural and social opposition due to the general lack of demand from clients and other construction industry stakeholders. Therefore, the progress of green/sustainable architecture in Nigeria depends heavily on the willingness of built environment professionals and other construction industry stakeholders to be fully committed to green technological change and to work towards the acceptance of its principles in Nigeria. Other factors that were found to hinder the use of green architecture in Nigeria are high perceived costs associated with green architecture and preference for traditional building practices, with 57 and 56% of respondents agreeing with such factors. This result correlates with the submission of Hakkinen and Belloni and Ametepey et al., who believe that the cost of sustainable architecture is high with higher investment costs than conventional construction [26, 54]. As such, it results in conventional construction methods being preferred. The three least significant factors hindering the use of green architecture as perceived by the respondents include Technology/ Capacity barrier among built environment professionals, Limited knowledge and awareness regarding the economic benefits and prospects of green architecture and the Unavailability of local Green building materials having a Mean Index Score (MIS) of 3.27, 2.93 and 2.56, respectively. This suggests that most respondents believe that Nigeria has the capacity and knowledge of green architecture, as well as

**23**

**S/N**

1. 2. 3. 4.

Technology/capacity barrier among

built environment professionals

Cultural and social resistance by

28

41

9

19

15

112

384

3.43

0.69

3rd

various stakeholders

High perceived cost associated with

25

39

14

20

14

112

377

3.37

0.67

4th

green architecture

Lack of financial and non-financial

36

42

9

15

10

112

415

3.71

0.74

1st

incentives that promote green

architecture

Limited knowledge and awareness

20

27

11

33

21

112

328

2.93

0.59

7th

regarding the economic benefits and

prospects of green architecture

Unavailability of local Green

13

18

15

39

27

112

287

2.56

0.51

8th

building materials

Insufficient support from the

38

34

7

19

14

112

399

3.56

0.71

2nd

government

Preference for conventional building

27

36

10

22

17

112

370

3.30

0.66

5th

practices

6. 7. 8. **Table 3.** *Perception of respondents on factors hindering the use of green architecture in Nigeria.*

5.

**Factors**

**Responses**

**Strongly** 

**Agreed**

**Undecided**

**Disagreed**

**Strongly** 

**Disagreed**

**Agreed**

26

35

12

21

18

112

366

3.27

0.65

6th

**Total (N)**

**Σ**

**W**

**Mean** 

**RII**

**Rank**

**(ΣW/N)**

*Exploring the Factors Hindering the Use of Green Architecture in Nigeria*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92403*

#### *Exploring the Factors Hindering the Use of Green Architecture in Nigeria DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92403*

*Zero-Energy Buildings - New Approaches and Technologies*

Male 89 79.46 Female 23 20.54 Total 112 100

Architect 43 38.39 Builder 21 18.75 Engineer 36 32.14 Others 12 10.71 Total 112 100

Polytechnic (HND) 18 16.07 University (B.Sc.) 62 55.36 University (M.Sc.) 32 28.57 Total 112 100

Less than 5 years 33 29.46 5–10 years 46 41.07 10–15 years 17 15.18 15–20 years 10 8.93 More than 20 years 6 5.36 Total 112 100

**Sex**

**Profession**

**Education history**

**Years of experience**

*Respondents' profile data.*

**Table 2.**

who claimed that the majority of built environment professionals are not interested in green technological changes [27, 32]. This results consequently in cultural and social opposition due to the general lack of demand from clients and other construction industry stakeholders. Therefore, the progress of green/sustainable architecture in Nigeria depends heavily on the willingness of built environment professionals and other construction industry stakeholders to be fully committed to green technological change and to work towards the acceptance of its principles in Nigeria. Other factors that were found to hinder the use of green architecture in Nigeria are high perceived costs associated with green architecture and preference for traditional building practices, with 57 and 56% of respondents agreeing with such factors. This result correlates with the submission of Hakkinen and Belloni and Ametepey et al., who believe that the cost of sustainable architecture is high with higher investment costs than conventional construction [26, 54]. As such, it results in conventional construction methods being preferred. The three least significant factors hindering the use of green architecture as perceived by the respondents include Technology/ Capacity barrier among built environment professionals, Limited knowledge and awareness regarding the economic benefits and prospects of green architecture and the Unavailability of local Green building materials having a Mean Index Score (MIS) of 3.27, 2.93 and 2.56, respectively. This suggests that most respondents believe that Nigeria has the capacity and knowledge of green architecture, as well as

**Frequency Percentage (%)**

**22**


**Table3.**

 *Perception of respondents on factors hindering the use of green architecture in Nigeria.*

#### **Figure 1.**

*Ranking of factors hindering the use of green architecture. 1st, lack of financial and non-financial incentives that promote green architecture; 2nd, insufficient support from the government; 3rd, cultural and social resistance by various stakeholders; 4th, high perceived cost associated with green architecture, 5th, preference for conventional building practices; 6th, technology/capacity barrier among built environment professionals; 7th, limited knowledge and awareness regarding the economic benefits and prospects of green architecture; 8th, Unavailability of local Green building materials.*

available green building materials locally. However, other factors identified above inhibit its adoption and usage.

### **5. Conclusion**

The concept of green/sustainable architecture is relatively new in the building construction industry and has been asserted as a way of achieving environmental sustainability. However, the adoption and utilisation of its various principles in a developing country such as Nigeria are still quite low, with various factors identified to be hindering its usage. Therefore, these factors need to be addressed in order to promote the adoption and utilisation of green architecture. For that reason, this study examined the various factors hindering the use of green architecture in Nigeria. In order to achieve this aim, a comprehensive empirical review of related literature was conducted, and questionnaires administered to various built environment professionals. Findings from this study revealed that the three most significant factors hindering the use of sustainable architecture in Nigeria are lack of financial and non-financial incentives that promote green architecture, insufficient support from the government as well as cultural and social resistance by various stakeholders. This study, therefore, recommends that since lack of financial and non-financial incentives that promote green architecture and insufficient support from the government, which are government-related are the most significant factors hindering the adoption and use of the various principles of green architecture in Nigeria. Therefore, the active involvement of the government is necessary for overcoming these challenges. This can be done through the introduction of laws, the provision of incentives, and the development of a framework that encourages the implementation of sustainable architecture practices in the building construction industry. This study was not only able to contribute and fill existing knowledge about green/sustainable architecture in Nigeria, but also provides the most significant factors that hinder its acceptance and use. The findings of this study will substantially help to mitigate the challenges of green/sustainable architecture adoption in Nigeria and subsequently contribute to environmental sustainability.

**25**

**Author details**

China

Auwalu Faisal Koko1

2 Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Nigeria

provided the original work is properly cited.

\* and Muhammed Bello2

\*Address all correspondence to: faisal.koko@yahoo.com

1 College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou,

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

*Exploring the Factors Hindering the Use of Green Architecture in Nigeria*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92403*

*Exploring the Factors Hindering the Use of Green Architecture in Nigeria DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92403*
