Analysing Sustainable Construction Practices in Developing Countries: Success Stories and Challenges

Authors

  • Hyginus Chidiebere Onyekachi Unegbu Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
  • Danjuma Saleh Yawas Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
  • Bashar Dan-asabe Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
  • Abdulmumin Akoredeley Alabi Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26593/josc.v5i1.8868

Keywords:

Sustainable construction, sustainability, developing countries, implementation challenges, success factors

Abstract

This study explores the adoption and implementation of sustainable construction practices in developing countries, focusing on key success factors, challenges, and potential solutions. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through surveys, interviews, and field observations, with a response rate of 70%. The findings revealed that while awareness of sustainable construction practices is relatively high (75% of respondents), their implementation remains limited (45% of projects). The major challenges identified include financial constraints (68% of respondents), lack of awareness, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and technical barriers. Critical success factors for sustainable projects include robust government support, effective stakeholder collaboration, access to innovative financing, and comprehensive capacity-building programs. The study contributes to both academic and practical understanding by providing empirical evidence and actionable insights to enhance the adoption of sustainable construction practices. Recommendations for policymakers, construction professionals, and stakeholders include developing comprehensive sustainability policies, providing financial incentives, strengthening regulatory frameworks, promoting public-private partnerships, and investing in continuous capacity building.

References

[1] Y. Beytekin, “An Examination of Energy Efficient Tectonic and Double-Skin Facade Construction Within the Scope of Sustainability,” 11th Int. NY Conf. Interdisciplinary Research & Practice, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389941520

[2] P. Chhabra and A. S. Grover, “Designing for Sustainability: Energy-Efficient Building Solutions,” Ana Publishing, vol. 5, pp. 121–135, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://anapublishingprivate.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/article-10_tg_october_december_2024_dr_pankaj_chhabra_a_silia_grover_full.pdf

[3] H. Unegbu, D. Yawas, and B. Dan-asabe, “Evaluating the Influence of Green Building Certifications on Construction Practices in Nigeria,” Journal of Sustainable Construction, vol. 13, pp. 40–52, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/112905/

[4] Z. Nobar and A. Rahimi, “Thermal Performance Evaluation of Green Roofs in Metropolises: A Case Study in Tabriz,” Journal of Sustainable City, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 77–89, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.jscity.ir/article_219253.html?lang=en

[5] Nektarios Chrysoulakis, Maria Tsiros, George Mitraka, Vasilis S. Kotthaus, Emmanuel T. Chatzitheodoridis, and Ioannis X. Tsiros, “Exploring the Potential of Urban Remote Sensing,” IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, vol. 18, pp. 123–128, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://research.utwente.nl/files/488132175/

[6] A. N. Alabsi, “Prioritizing Energy Efficiency and Low-Carbon Approaches: Climate Adaptation Strategies in Urban West Asia,” in Urban Climate and Urban Design, Springer, 2025, pp. 103–117. [Online]. Available: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-96-1521-6_8

[7] Y. Ali, M. S. Hassan, and A. Petrillo, “From Waste to Resource: LCA of Eco-Friendly Concrete in Developing Nations,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 412, p. 158345, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652625005761

[8] N. S. Sohaimi, M. Ma'Dan, and M. A. Jasni, “Sustainable Affordable Housing: Global Trends and Practice,” Semarak International J. Design Built Environ. Sustainability, vol. 2, pp. 33–44, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://semarakilmu.my/index.php/sijdbes/article/view/39

[9] K. Bhattarai and M. Yousef, “Urbanization and Sustainability in MENA: Pathways to Smart Cities,” in The Middle East: Past, Present, and Future, Springer, 2025, pp. 89–102. [Online]. Available: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-83967-2_7

[10] M. Mehta, M. Koliou, A. Petersen, and A. Taylor, “Indigenous Peoples and Climate Resilience,” Frontiers in Sustainability, vol. 6, no. 1, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1583450/full

[11] M. Nabawy, A. G. Mohamed, and A. O. Daoud, “Green Building Information Modeling Framework for Sustainable Residential Development in Egypt,” Buildings, vol. 15, no. 7, p. 1035, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/7/1035

[12] Nahid Kabir, Mohammed Foysal Ahmed, Md. Shahriar Alam, Md. Shahjalal, and Nurul Kabir, “Necessity of Green Construction for Building Sustainable Environment,” ResearchGate, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386476843

[13] H. Imafidon, M. Enwerem, and A. Boye, “Adapting Green Building Practices and Smart Technology in Developing Countries,” AJESRE, vol. 12, no. 3, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://afropolitanjournals.com/index.php/ajesre/article/view/407

[14] H. Fan, X. Xue, and X. Tan, “Digital Innovation Trajectories in Sustainable Construction,” Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31, no. 2, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ecam-06-2024-0768/full/html

[15] A. K. M. Yahia and M. Shahjalal, “Sustainable Materials Selection in Building Design,” Int. J. of Science and Environment, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5049566

[16] R. Abu Obaida, “Green Growth and Institutional Quality in Sustainable Construction,” Thesis, IIUC, 2024. [Online]. Available: http://103.109.52.4/handle/52243/3122

[17] Anders Hansson, Jessica Jewell, Sabine Fuss, Benjamin K. Sovacool, Rob Bellamy, and Gregory Nemet, “Carbon Dioxide Removal: Perspectives from the Social Sciences,” Frontiers in Climate, vol. 2, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/climate/articles/10.3389/fclim.2024.1509331/full

[18] M. Enwerem, H. Imafidon, and A. Boye, “Smart Green Buildings with Sustainable Architecture,” AJESRE, vol. 12, no. 4, 2024.

[19] Gianluca Antonelli, Francesca Rossi, Matteo Tarsitano, Lucia Bertolini, and Andrea Moretti, “Circular Logistics and Built Environment Sustainability,” in Biodiversity Laws and Policies, Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-031-56218-1.pdf

[20] J. Basumatary, S. U. Hassan, and P. Goyari, “Impact of Governance on CO₂ Emissions in BRIC Countries,” Management of Environmental Quality, vol. 35, no. 2, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381732293

[21] Tessaleno Campos Devezas, Haris Doukas, António Leal Filho, Walter Leal Filho, and Luciana Brandli, “Digital Transformation of Socio-Technological Systems,” Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-031-56677-6.pdf

[22] M. Danish and R. J. Isaifan, “Strategic Plans for Climate Policy in Arab Countries,” J. of Sustainable Development Law and Policy, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jsdlp/article/view/270964

[23] A. Kumar, A. Prasad, and G. Kumar, “Sustainable Mobility in Developing Regions,” Books.Google.com, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://books.google.com/books?id=Xe8wEQAAQBAJ

[24] Panagiotis Samaras, Konstantinos Rikos, Vasileios Megaritis, and Georgios Stavropoulos, “Smart Readiness Indicators in Sustainable Buildings,” in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Metrology for Extended Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Neural Engineering, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10615377

[25] M. Aparicio Martín, “Circular Design in the Built Environment,” UPC Thesis, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2117/420832

[26] Alexander Erwin, Lisa Thompson, Karabo Mokoena, Fatima Al-Mansoori, and Helena Okoye, “Policy and Governance for Biodiversity and Energy Resilience,” Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-031-56218-1.pdf

[27] R. Abu Obaida, “Green Growth and Institutional Quality in Sustainable Construction,” Thesis, IIUC, 2024. [Online]. Available: http://103.109.52.4/handle/52243/3122

[28] H. Imafidon, M. Enwerem, and A. Boye, “Smart Green Buildings with Sustainable Architecture,” AJESRE, vol. 12, no. 3, 2024.

[29] M. Nabawy, A. G. Mohamed, and A. O. Daoud, “Green Building Information Modeling in Egypt,” Buildings, vol. 15, no. 7, 2025.

[30] M. Danish and R. J. Isaifan, “Strategic Climate Plans in the Arab Region,” J. of Sustainable Development Law and Policy, 2024.

[31] M. Shahjalal and A. K. M. Yahia, “Sustainable Materials Selection in Construction,” SSRN, 2024.

[32] B. Hwang and J. Tan, “Training for Green Building Management,” Journal of Green Building, 2012.

[33] G. Ofori, “Nature of Construction in the Global South,” Developing Construction Industry, 2015.

[34] Dina Elgendy, Samuel K. Asiedu, Rehema Mshinda, and Patrick Nwankwo, “Sustainable Urban Transition in Africa,” Urban Policy Studies, 2022.

[35] Li-yin Shen, Vivian W. Y. Tam, Heng Li, and Qiping Shen, “Key Feasibility Indicators in Green Construction,” International Journal of Project Management, vol. 28, no. 7, pp. 663–671, 2010.

[36] Jorge Martins, Ana Sofia Rodrigues, and Luís Bragança, “Toward a Multi-Stakeholder Sustainability Model,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 369, p. 133273, 2022.

[37] Tunde Adewuyi and Andrew Otali, “Sustainable Construction in Nigeria: Policy and Finance,” Journal of Construction in Developing Economies, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 15–28, 2013.

[38] Bon-Gang Hwang and Jason Tan, “Training for Green Building Management,” Journal of Green Building, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 89–104, 2012.

[39] Emmanuel Odeyemi, Abimbola Afolabi, and Sola Akintola, “Cost Constraints in Sustainable Housing,”

Sustainable Cities and Society, vol. 76, p. 103202, 2022.

[40] Alexander Allen, Jane Smith, Rafael Ortega, and Li Wei, “Lifecycle Evaluation in Net-Zero Building Systems,” Journal of Building Performance, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 145–159, 2021.

[41] Rita Andrade and Luís Bragança, “Comparative Case Studies in Sustainable Urban Development,” Buildings, vol. 11, no. 4, p. 147, 2021.

[42] Sergio Geissdoerfer, Martin Savaget, Nancy M. Bocken, and Erik Jan Hultink, “Lifecycle Integration in Sustainable Design,” Journal of Industrial Ecology, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 123–135, 2020.

[43] Zinia Ghosh, “Blended Finance for Green Construction,” Environmental Finance Review, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 87–102, 2021.

[44] John W. Creswell and Vicki L. Plano Clark, Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, 4th ed., Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2021.

[45] Richard Fellows and Anita Liu, Research Methods for Construction, 5th ed., Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2021.

[46] Annette Galletta, Mastering the Semi-Structured Interview and Beyond: From Research Design to Analysis and Publication, 2nd ed., New York, NY: NYU Press, 2020.

[47] Jennifer Rowley, “Designing and Using Research Questionnaires in Research: A Systematic Approach,” Journal of Management Research, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 105–123, 2021.

[48] Victor Jupp and Roger Flanagan, “Fieldwork Strategies in Construction Management Research,” in The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Business and Management Research Methods, London: SAGE, 2020, pp. 189–206.

[49] Harriet Harmer and Marco Mazzolini, “Review of Green Building Implementation Challenges in Emerging Economies,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 56–72, 2020.

[50] Jorge Martins, Filipe Monteiro, and Luís Bragança, “Analysis of Sustainable Construction Case Studies in Developing Countries,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 312, p. 127704, 2022.

[51] Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke, “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology,” Qualitative Research in Psychology, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 77–101, 2006.

[52] Andy Field, Discovering Statistics Using SPSS, 6th ed., London: SAGE Publications, 2021.

Downloads

Published

2025-10-31