Key Factors to Green Building Technologies Adoption in Developing Countries: The Perspective of Chinese Designers

Abstract

Green building is deemed an effective means to realize the sustainable development of environment, economy and society in the construction industry. Green building technologies (GBTS) are important to realize green buildings. In order to make the application of GBTS be adopted and popularized effectively, it is especially important for us to gain thorough comprehension of the key problems that affect the adoption of GBTS. The target of this paper is to better understand the adoption of GBTS from the perspective of designers. This article utilizes a questionnaire to investigate Chinese architectural designers. Through establishing a structural equation model and an analysis of the survey data, the key factors influencing the adoption of GBTS by designers in the Design Company were found out. The results denote that the adoption motivation, the capability of GBTS, the knowledge structure and the defects of GBTS are the significant factors that affect designers' adoption behaviors. However, the management support of GBTS has no significant effect on designers' adoption behavior. The research results are helpful to improve adoption of GBTS in design units and accelerate the transformation of GBTS achievements. Additionally, they can promote the application of GBTS in the field of construction. Based on the quantitative theoretical model (the structural equation model), this paper finds out the key factors that affect the application of GBTS from the perspective of designers, enriching the theoretical methods of GBTS research and complementing the relevant literature of GBTS research. Future research will analyze the adoption behavior of GBTS from the point of other stakeholders and from the internal level of the design units.Sustainability 2018, 10, 4135 2 of 22 environmentally responsible and improve the effective utilization of energy efficiency" [7]. Because of the negative impact of conventional buildings on both the environment and the climate, green buildings are perceived as effective substitutes for traditional buildings. It plays an important role in environmental protection and resource conservation [8,9].GBTS are an important means to improve energy efficiency and an effective way to realize green building [10,11]. In recent years, due to its advantages, there has been some research on GBTS. From the perspective of the whole life cycle of architecture, researchers study the environmental pollution and other issues [10][11][12][13][14][15]. GBTS include solar systems, green roofs and walls, heat pumps and the application of corresponding technologies throughout the construction project delivery process [8,13,16]. Some GBTS, such as green roofs, solar energy and precast concrete, have been introduced into the development of green projects. Green buildings are required to integrate the interactions between GBTS and other building components to reduce the impact on the environment [17,18]. Building energy efficiency can be remarkably improved by the use of GBTS to renovate existing buildings [15,19]. A large n...

What Hinders the Development of Green Building? An Investigation of China

“…The coefficient of “P3: ME→GBD” reached 0.424, and the t -value reached 3.304, indicating that the market environment has a significant impact on GBD. This problem is very common in developing countries because the GBD level is relatively sluggish and the market is still in the exploratory stage [87]. In addition, due to the lack of training, education and promotion of green building, it is difficult for stakeholders to obtain effective knowledge concerning green building [88].…”

An Empirical Analysis of the Factors Affecting the Adoption and Diffusion of GBTS in the Construction Market

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Clean Technology Transfer and Innovation in Social Housing Production in Brazil and Colombia. A Framework from a Systematic Review

“…Authors have identified that although the literature on the social acceptance of new technologies focuses on industrialized societies, concerns about new technologies are more widespread in developing countries [25]. Likewise, other authors explain that the motivation for adopting clean technologies depends on the knowledge structure and the defects of these technologies, since these are the significant factors that affect the behaviors of the adoption of technologies [26].…”

“…Systemic Sustainability [8] Technology Acceptance [25] Renewable Energy Efficiency [41] Home Comfort [11] Energy Flexibility [27] Energetic Certification [37][38][39][40] Management Process [19] Technological Adoption [26] Energy Guidelines [42] Green Affordable Housing [10] Technological Diffusion [28] Home Comfort [38] Economic Disadvantages [9] Energy consumption [30] Sustainable Urban Planning [44] Housing Programs [15] Renewable Energy Efficiency [29] Affordable Housing [40] Affordable Housing [45] Types of Technology [31] Constructive Quality [37][38][39][40] Energetic politics [17,21] Climate Change [32] Neighborhood energy analysis [16] Technology Barriers [33] Efficient energy [14] Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) [34] Social Sustainability [20] CO 2 Emission Reduction [35] Design Improvements [13] Technological marketing [36] Energy Performance [12] Lifecycle [22] Sustainable Affordability [24] Energy-saving of homes [18]…”