Delivering green building (GB) projects involve some activities that are atypical in comparison with conventional buildings. Such new activities are characterized by uncertainty, and they incur hidden costs that have not been expected nor are they readily appreciated among the stakeholders. This paper develops a typology and chronology to examine the new activities that are associated with transaction costs (TCs) in the real estate development process (REDP) of green building. Through in-depth interviews with representatives from the major developers in Hong Kong who have experiences in GB practice, this study aims to unearth TCs involved at the critical stages of the REDP. Apart from reconfirming the early project planning stage as the most critical in the consideration of TCs, the study results also identified "extra legal liability risk of the GB product" as the major concern for any GB developer in Hong Kong. The key additional activities that bring significant TCs in developing GB are identified and compared to their traditional counterparts. In turn, project managers not only have to pursue overall cost management whilst winning more business, but they also have to pay particular attention to sustainability in order to minimize hidden societal costs. The study also provides a reference for governments and professionals that will aid in forming policy as well as advance the practice of the GB market by optimizing the societal costs. OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 3616

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Factors, such as split incentive, information asymmetry, opportunistic behavior, ill-informed users, and institutional transitions, etc., incur different levels of Transaction costs (TCs) and affect the stakeholders' willingness to take part in building energy efficiency (BEE). A better understanding of the nature and structure of TCs is essential to improve the market mechanisms for BEE investment. It covers three dimensions of TCs: specific investment, frequency and uncertainty. The paper provides a framework to understand BEE barriers in general and the TCs concerns of stakeholders in particular. In-depth interviews questions are designed to be conducted with the real estate representatives and architects, using a case of Hong Kong, where real estate developers are chosen to be the study object as they are the initiative and dominate force. The study focuses on how to smooth BEE transactions and lessen TCs involved. It indicates that TCs are the key factors impeding BEE market penetration, and will provide references to design a governance structure as well as to design policy packages to promote BEE.

This paper analyzes how the economic uncertainty affects the stakeholders' decision-makings on Building Energy Efficiency (BEE) investment in Malaysia. It studies the underlying barriers that hinder the BEE market penetration. Interviews with 30 architects who have BEE working experience with developers in Malaysia were conducted to understand the uncertainties affecting the current situation and future prospects for BEE adoption from the aspects of economic uncertainty. The result shows that the government incentives are trustworthy and welcomed by the stakeholders. The good opportunity to improve the BEE market is during the economic transition stage. Malaysian has high confidence that government incentives will not be changed easily. The study also suggests possible policy solutions for overcoming the uncertainties to attain the large-scale energy-efficient building investment.