PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess the drivers, practices and policies for implementing sustainable construction in Nigeria. This is with a view towards increasing the rate of implementation and diffusion of sustainable construction practice, so that more Nigerians can benefit from its environmental, social and economic dividends.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative research design with the use of face-to-face oral interviews. Interviewees were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data from the interview were analysed using thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages and rankings were also used to present the data and complement the thematic analysis.FindingsThe study identified five major drivers of sustainable construction: clients' demand, international pressure, corporate social responsibility, competitiveness and cost-effectiveness. The common sustainable practices adopted by the interviewees are compliance with health and safety regulation, waste management, energy efficiency and material reuse. The most appropriate policies for implementing sustainable construction as suggested by the interviewees were government regulations, provision of tax relief and subsidies and public awareness. A combination of regulatory policies, market-based policies and voluntary participation of stakeholders will enhance the attainment of sustainability transformations in the construction industryOriginality/valueThe study is based on the findings of construction participants who have practical experience with sustainable construction in Nigeria. The study also provides empirical evidences which could guide the design and implementation of policies that will further promote the diffusion of sustainable construction in Nigeria

PurposeGreen building is a relatively new concept with limited applications in property development in South Africa. The objectives of this study are therefore threefold: identify key green building principles considered by property developers, establish the benefits of implementing the principles and determine the barriers to its applications.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a case study of two Green Star South Africa (SA)-certified buildings in Sandton, Johannesburg. These are Alexander Forbes building, and Ernst & Young Eris Towers. The two certified buildings were purposefully selected because of the insightful information they provide regarding application of green building principles. The main themes investigated in the cases are environmental awareness, green building principles applications, as well as benefits and barriers of green building. A total of six interviewees from the contractors', property developers', environmental/green building consultants' and sustainability consultants' organizations who were involved in the implementation of green building principles in the two cases provided the qualitative data for the study. The qualitative data were supplemented with data relating to the two case studies obtained from the ‘Earth Works for a Sustainable Built Environment’. The interviews were arranged over a period of two months, and each interview took between 20 and 30 minutes. Analysis of the data was done through a phenomenological interpretation of the qualitative opinions expressed by the interviewees.FindingsKey green building principles comprising energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource efficiency, occupants' health and well-being and sustainable site development were implemented in the two cases. The fact that the buildings were rated 4-star enabled inference to be drawn that the implementation of the principles was less than 60 per cent. Energy efficiency of 35 per cent indicated in Case I suggests that the level is consistent with the South African green building standard of 25 per cent to 50 per cent. However, the energy and water efficiency assessment of the building were based on projections rather than on ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the buildings' performance. Moreover, perceived saving in operational cost was identified as dominant driver to green building principles implementation. Conversely, lack of government incentives and absence of reliable benchmarking data regarding performance of green buildings were major barriers to its full implementation.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide important implications to the developers and government on the application of green building principles. In the first place, the evidence that initial high cost premium could be off settled by long- term saving on operational costs as a result of use of local materials, energy and water savings as well as use of recycled material, as implemented in the two case projects, would improve investment decision in green building by developers. The understanding of the drivers and barriers to implementation of green building principles also has implications for guiding government policies and programmes towards green building.Originality/valueThe significance of this study stems from the fact that limited studies, especially in the South African context, have indicated the drivers and barriers to the implementation of green building principles. The case study approach adopted gave a novelty to the study by providing hands-on information from the stakeholders who were known to have played specific roles in the application of green building. The findings indicated that initial high cost premium was not a consideration in developers' choice of green building which justifies the possibility of a costlier product when factors such as environmental sustainability benefit is considered to be ultimate. The study thus suggests further research involving larger cases on energy efficiency, water efficiency and costs of green buildings compared to the conventional type to bring the findings to a broader perspective and assist to benchmark data for green building assessment.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate critical factors that impact public sector organizations’ (PSOs) performance in PPP contracts with a view to improving their capabilities toward efficient project delivery and attracting more private sector investments. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology is a quantitative approach which commenced with an in-depth literature review that provided the basis for identification of the variables that were evaluated through a structured questionnaire. Respondents were professionals from stakeholders’ organizations that had been involved in PPP contracts in the Southwestern region of Nigeria selected using respondent driven sampling technique. These include industrial practitioners from governmental-based organizations (ministries, agencies, corporations/parastatals, etc.), private developers/concessionaires, law firms, and banks, among others. Data collected were analyzed using mean, relative significance index) and factor analysis. Findings The critical performance factors of PSOs in concession contracts clustered under nine components. These were technical, legal, political, finance, market maturity, economic, procurement process, performance guarantee and degree of regulation. PSOs’ capability development measure in countries newly experimenting with concession model is expected to focus on these factors for improved project delivery. Research limitations/implications The study provided implications for capabilities improvement, legislation and policy making with respect to PPP transactions in countries newly experimenting with PPP contracts. This is highly significant to improving the capabilities of PSOs and attraction of more private sector partnership in infrastructure delivery through the concession model. Practical implications The study provided implication for capabilities improvement, legislation and policing with respect to PPP transactions in countries newly experimenting with PPP contracts. This is highly significant to improving the capabilities of PSOs and attraction of more private sector partnership in infrastructure delivery through concession model. Originality/value Previous studies on PPP performance had either focused on the projects or generalized the performance assessment to PSOs and private investors. This study extended the researches on PPP performance by revealing factors specific to the public sector stakeholders.

Purpose The global shift in the traditional skills required of real estate graduates has led to an increased demand for employees who have the required skills and competencies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate employment considerations of real estate firms and analyse employers’ skill expectations and the observed skills possessed by the graduate employees. This study also analysed the self-assessed soft skill levels of the graduate employees, thereby establishing the skill gap. Design/methodology/approach Data were sought from real estate employers in the two dominant real estate markets of Nigeria: Lagos and Abuja, and real estate graduate employees who have had a minimum of six months working experience in real estate firms. Data collected were analysed using statistical techniques such as frequency, percentages, mean, correlation, multivariate analysis of variance, paired-samples t-test and independent samples t-test. Findings The findings of this study revealed that employers’ soft skills expectations were high with skills such as responsibility, administrative, listening, communication, business negotiation and work ethics. Based on employers' observed skills, there were significant skill gaps with respect to soft skills such as responsibility, business negotiation, logical thinking, marketing and dispute resolution. An analysis of the core skills reveals employers' preference for technical competencies in valuation, agency, property management, marketing, report writing and landlord and tenant laws. However, graduate employees possessed significant skill gaps with regards to technical skills such as valuation, property investment analysis, feasibility and viability appraisal, market research methods and facility management. Practical implications An understanding of the skill gaps will provide useful feedback to professional bodies, regulatory boards, institutions of higher learning, faculty members and other stakeholders regarding deficient skill areas, especially for curriculum review, development and training in the real estate sector. Originality/value There is a paucity of information about employers' skill preferences and the skill gaps in the real estate sector.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess how gender influences stress response strategies among quantity surveyors in workplaces with a view to enhancing job performance. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were obtained through a survey, which utilised structured questionnaires administered to quantity surveyors in Lagos, Oyo and Ondo States in Nigeria. In total, 334 quantity surveyors in government establishments, consulting and construction firms were randomly sampled to survey male quantity surveyors, and a purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from female quantity surveyors. Data collected were analysed using percentile, using mean item score (MIS) and Mann–Whitney U test. Findings In total, 27 stress response strategies were identified in dealing with stressors in quantity surveyors’ workplaces. The results of the analysis revealed the level of usage of the stress response strategies with the highest being “seeking clarification with colleagues or superiors” achieving an MIS of 3.95, followed by “belonging to professional association” (MIS=3.67), and “opportunity to discuss with manager/supervisor” (MIS=3.66). The scoring of the level of usage of the stress response strategies (2.20<MIS<3.95) suggested that although quantity surveying organisations were familiar with a good number of workplace stress response strategies, a significant number of the strategies were neither suitable nor adopted. Moreover, stress response strategies with high a rating of familiarity were also the most utilised and most effective. Practical implications The study provided implications for management roles in identifying stressors and appropriate strategies towards creating a healthy working environment and improving job productivity of female quantity surveyors in their workplaces. Originality/value The results show no significant difference in gender perception of the effectiveness of the 27 stress response strategies assessed except three. The first is “opportunity to discuss with manager/supervisor” with the Mann–Whitney U test (MWW) value of 3.337 at p=0.001. The other two are “prioritizing future workloads” (MWW=−3.226; p=0.002) and “clubbing or socializing” (MWW=−3.483; p=0.001). These findings imply that both male and female quantity surveyors perceived the use of these three stress response strategies in different ways. In this regard, although all the strategies may be applied as influenced by employers’ decision and preference, managers may have to exercise caution when applying them while dealing with male and female employees.