An integrative review of the potential barriers to and drivers of adopting and implementing sustainable construction in South Africa

Date
2020-11-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While sustainable construction has gained increasing international attention, a limited number of studies address the issue of sustainable construction in South Africa. The adoption and implementation of sustainable solutions in the South African construction industry is also not apparent. The objective of this paper was to examine the most significant barriers to and drivers of the adoption and implementation of sustainable construction through an integrative review by systematically analysing the existing literature. This review identified six key themes in the literature: 1) socio-cultural barriers and drivers; 2) economic barriers and drivers; 3) stakeholder barriers and drivers; 4) political barriers and drivers; 5) technological barriers and drivers; and 6) the environmental benefits of adopting sustainable construction. An empirical investigation is ongoing to understand and analyse some of these barriers and drivers, with the aim of facilitating the transition to the adoption and successful implementation of sustainable construction in South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel volhoubare konstruksie toenemende aandag internasionaal ontvang, is daar ʼn beperkte aantal studies wat dit binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks aanspreek. Die aanneming en implementering van volhoubare oplossings in die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksie industrie is nie duidelik nie. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om die mees noemenswaardige hindernisse tot en drywers van die aanneem en implementering van volhoubare konstruksie te ondersoek deur middel van ʼn geïntegreerde, sistematiese literatuurstudie. Die studie het ses sleuteltemas identifiseer, naamlik 1) sosio-kulturele hindernisse en drywers; 2) ekonomiese hindernisse en drywers; 3) belanghebber verwante hindernisse en drywers; 4) politiese hindernisse en drywers; 5) tegnologiese hindernisse en drywers; en 6) omgewingsvoordele as gevolg van die aanneming van volhoubare konstruksie. ʼn Empiriese ondersoek is van stapel gestuur om die hindernisse en aandrywers te verstaan en te ontleed. Die ondersoek hoop om die oorgang van aanneming tot suksesvolle implementering van volhoubare konstruksie in Suid-Afrika te fasiliteer.
Description
CITATION: Marsh, R., Brent, A. C. & De Kock, I. 2020. An integrative review of the potential barriers to and drivers of adopting and implementing sustainable construction in South Africa. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 31(3):24-35, doi:10.7166/31-3-2417.
The original publication is available at http://sajie.journals.ac.za
Keywords
Construction industry -- South Africa., Sustainable construction -- Political aspects, Economics -- Sociological aspects
Citation
Marsh, R., Brent, A. C. & De Kock, I. 2020. An integrative review of the potential barriers to and drivers of adopting and implementing sustainable construction in South Africa. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 31(3):24-35, doi:10.7166/31-3-2417