ASSESSMENT OF GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVES AMONG REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS IN ABUJA

Purpose: The study assessed the green building initiatives among real estate professionals in Abuja with a view to identifying the factors affecting its implementation in the built environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed census sampling to sample all the 420 firms in the study area. Responses were received from 339 firms which were analysed for the study. The study employed descriptive statistics (mean score and relative importance index, RII) and inferential statistics (factor analysis), for analysis of data. Findings: The findings revealed that the professionals were highly aware of the features and benefits of green buildings as RII value between 0.612-0.928. Lack of technology and inadequate qualified designer were ranked 1st and 2nd for factors affecting green building initiatives among professionals at RII values of 0.794 and 0.766 respectively. The result of factor analysis further revealed four component factors that contributed to 87.016% variance in the factor loading. The result further revealed that technical know-how and manpower factor, technological and management factors, educational, financial and innovative factors, and low end-user knowledge and project planning factors were component factors. Research limitations/Implications: The limitation includes the use of only real estate firms in Abuja without considering the views of other professionals in the built environment. Practical implications: Awareness of management of green building features and benefits should be promoted among real estate developers as the benefits of green buildings are very important to environmental sustainability. Originality/value: The identified factors contributed to 87.016% of variance of the factor loadings, indicating that the factors identified were considered by the professionals as factors affecting the implementation of green building initiatives.