ABSTRACT
Energy
services in buildings – the provision of thermal comfort, refrigeration,
illumination, communication and entertainment, sanitation and hygiene, and
nutrition, as well as other amenities – are responsible for a significant share
of energy use worldwide. In addition to the energy consumed directly in
buildings, primary energy is lost in the conversion to electricity and heat and
petroleum products, and the transport and transmission of energy carriers cost
energy. in addition, the construction, maintenance and demolition of buildings
requires energy, as do the manufacturing of furniture, appliances, and the
provision of infrastructure services such as water and sanitation. this
study investigated demand for
sustainable in office buildings in Lagos. The method for data collection
was through the design of self-administered questionnaires. the data collected
was analyzed using chi-square, where the critical value was p value < x2
0.05, the aid of spss version 20.the result indicated that there is
a fair knowledge on green building among the residence and people that work in
the Lagos Island and it’s environments. With time, the demand for green
building will increased and the willingness to pay for the features of green
building.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents Pages
Certification i
Declaration ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi-x
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the Study 1-4
1.2 Statement
of Research Problem 4-5
1.3 Research Questions 6
1.4 Aim
and Objectives of Study 6
1.5 Justification
of the Study 7
1.6 Research
Method 8
1.7 SCOPE
OF STUDY 8
1.8 DEFINITION
OF TERMS 9
1.9 LIMITATION
OF STUDY 9-10
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
INTRODUCTION 11
2.2 OVERVIEW
OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS 11-14
2.3 OVERVIEW
OF GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM 14
2.3.1 BREAM 15
2.3.2 LEED 15-16
2.3.3 THE GREEN GLOBES 16
2.4
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION IN PRACTICE
AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 16-18
2.5 THE NIGERIAN CONSTRUCTION SECTOR. 18-19
2. 6 BENEFITS AND RISK FACTORS OF GOING GREEN IN
EXISTING
BUILDINGS 19-20
2.6.1 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS 20-21
2.6.2 HEALTH AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS 21-22
2.6.3 FINANCIAL BENEFITS 22-23
2.6.4 MARKET BENEFITS 23-24
2.6.5 INDUSTRY BENEFITS 24-25
2.7 GREEN FEATURES 25-27
2.8 DEMAND FOR GREEN BUILDING 27-28
2.9 WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR SUSTAINABLE
BUILDING 29-30
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
3.0 Introduction 31
3.I Study Area 31
3.2 Research Design 31-32
3.4 Population of Study 32
3.5 Sample Size 32
3.6 Sampling Procedure 32
3.7 Types of Data 33
3.8 Data Collection Instrument 33
3.9 Data Collection Procedure 33
3.10 Method of Data Analysis 34
3.11 Presentation of Data 34
3.12 Validity and Reliability of the Research
Instrument 34
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Preamble 35
4.2 Description of Respondent 35
TABLE
4. 2.0: Questionnaire Distributed 35
TABLE
4.2.1 36
TABLE
4.2.2 37
TABLE
4.2.3 38
TABLE
4.2.4 39
TABLE
4.3.1 Level Of Awareness Of Green Or
Energy
Efficient Building Concept 40
Table
4.3.2 Demanded For Green Features In
Your Office Building
Previously
41
Table
4.3.3: How Would You Rate The
Importance Of The Following Features In Choosing Office Building? 42-45
Table
4.3.4: How Would The Following Green
Features affect your choice of office building rate the
following features in your office
building? 45-48
Table
4.3.5: Indicate The Level Of
Significance Of The Following Factors As Drivers Of The Demand For
Green Office Buildings? 48-50
Table 4.3.6: How will the following Cost Saving Benefits
of Green
Features Affect
Your Decision For A Green Office
Building? 51-52
Table
4.3.7: Would You Like To Relocate Your
Office To A More Energy
Efficient Building
If Available 53-54
Table 4.3.8: If payment for the following green benefits
is considered as a
portion of your
rent per annum, please tick how much you are willing to
pay for each of
the following benefit 54-55
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction 56-57
5.2 Summary of the Findings 57-58
5.3 Conclusion 58
5.4 Recommendation 59
5.5 Areas of Further Study 59
References 60-65
Appendix
66-74
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Over the past few years, the concept of sustainability
has become increasingly popular in discussions with in the commercial property
sector. According to the Investment Property Forum, (2009), this has been
largely fueled by a growing understanding that commercial buildings are major contributors
to increased carbon emissions due to increased energy usage which most experts
now acknowledge is a major cause of climate change, and that improving the
energy efficiency of such buildings can help reduce emissions and the
consequential strain on the environment.
The change in energy use patterns and intensity in the
built environment and the growing carbon footprint and other environmental
concern has been attributed to the increasing demand for real estate and the
changes in design and construction strategies, materials and product
development which initiated the supply of more complex buildings with massive
growth in energy, carbon and environmental footprint (U.S Department of Energy
, 2010) and this, today has been the major reason for the increased drive for
optimized use of energy resources and provision of green and sustainable
buildings.
Globally, the built sector is said to account for
close to 40% of total end use of energy. (International Energy Agency,
2008).Developed countries are becoming more proactive and seeking alternative
and sustainable means to encourage the responsible use of energy in the built
sector. This has invariably led to various policy interventions by leading
Governments worldwide and technological improvements all aimed at changing the
pattern of energy usage in the built environment although developing nations
and 3rd world countries notably lag behind.
Sustainable
building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from
citing to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and
demolition. In other words, green building design involves finding the balance
between home building and the sustainable environment. Studies show that many
developed countries have embraced the concept of sustainability in construction
of modern building and this phenomenon is gradually being imbibed by many
developing countries as well (EPA, 2009).
In
recent years, sustainability has been used interchangeably with energy
efficiency although sustainability covers a wider range of factors such as
energy efficiency, water efficiency, waste reduction etc. The Global rise in
energy cost is creating the drive for the adoption of energy efficient
technology worldwide. TAC (2006) stated that “Owners of commercial office
buildings today face energy costs that continue to rise, creating very
difficult challenges managing the building operation costs; hence, there is a
need for consideration of sustainability and energy efficiency in the design of
new buildings while strategies and incentives should be created to make the
existing stock of buildings more sustainable.
The
Understanding of the environmental impacts of buildings and their relative
importance has been described as one of the major tools to help work towards
the creation of sustainable development, Lehrer (2001), Buildings have the most
impact mostly in the energy used in building operations most importantly
lighting, air conditioning and other appliances and these put a huge effect on
both environmental and energy resources in the form of emissions and
pollution. Sustainability however is a goal that allows for the continuing
improvement of standard of living without reversible damage to resources we
need to survive as species (Lehrer 2001).
The
issue of sustainability has however received lesser attention in most countries
like Nigeria. Otegbulu (2011) in his study of the economics of green design and
environmental sustainability, stated that in spite of the huge environmental
and energy problem in Nigeria, designers have not seen the need for a shift
from their traditional method of designing buildings. Such lack of supply of
more sustainable buildings may be related to the lack of drive from users and
occupants of these buildings or a general lack of awareness of sustainability
concepts.
It
is important to note that putting up green features in building either by way
of green design or retrofitting may raise the initial cost of construction but
might impact positively on the future running cost of the building. Unless
there is an effective demand for green features in office building which in
turn will guarantee that developers recoup their investment, the concept of
sustainable building and its benefit may continue to elude us, green building
measures can lead not only to lower building operating expenses through reduced
utility and waste disposal cost, but also to lower ongoing building maintenance
cost ranging from salaries to suppliers
There
is a growing need for compliance with global standards in sustainable
properties as these does not only create benefits such as reduced operating and
maintenance cost for building owners
but even creates reduction in cost of occupancy and increased comfort for
building occupants. However, since sustainability features for buildings
are always expensive both for new and old buildings, the level of awareness and
demand for such features among users can
create incentive for developers and building owners to increase the supply of
such features consequently providing all the benefits of sustainability to the
local environment and users of office buildings in Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF PROBLEM
There
has been a remarkable increase in the usage of both ecological and energy
resources by the built environment in recent decades, this has been attributed
to the increasing complexity of the built environment which continually evolves
to meet contemporary social needs (U.S Department of Energy, 2008). This has
continued to draw the attention of Governments, organizations and other
concerned individuals worldwide to the strain on the environment and the
notable consequences of irresponsible usage of energy such as environmental
pollution at the societal level and cost of running buildings at the individual
level.
This
has led to the growth of the green and sustainable building movement and
governments around the world and ecological agencies are continuously promoting
the concept of sustainability in the property sector. This drive for
sustainability involves the renovating of existing buildings to become more
sustainable while new buildings should be designed with sustainability in mind.
According to Otegbulu (2011) embracing green or sustainable concept in design
is aimed at reducing energy, operation and maintenance cost, reduced building
related illness, increase the productivity and comfort of building occupants;
reduce waste and pollution and increase building and component durability and
flexibility. However it has been observed that in Nigeria, Green concept,
sustainability and environmental issues are hardly put into consideration when
designing a new building or renovating an old one (Otegbulu, 2011).
The
lack of support or drive towards sustainability can be attributed to cost of
integrating such features into new buildings or making existing building more
sustainable. Also, existing demand for such features may also be considered one
of the most important reasons for the shortage in supply of sustainable
buildings. Otegbulu, Osagie, Famuyiwa, (2009) stated that the excitement of
identifying an unfilled human need and creating a product to fill it in a
project is the stimulus that drives development, quoting Miles, Berens, Eppli
and Weiss, (2007) they further stated that the best idea is the one that
results in a product, which serves the user adequately, adds value to the
community and does so at a profit.
Developers
consider trends in the type of development, depth of the market and market
perceived value in real estate development decisions since real estate value is
largely determined by the utility derived by the users and also, effective
demand for the services or amenities that real estate provides. (Shilling 2002)
cited in Otegbulu (2009).
According
to Otegbulu (2011), some buildings in Nigeria embody one of the various
verifiable characteristics of green design but developers are yet to open up to
the idea of a holistic approach to green buildings design. In the light of this
observation, this research aims at investigating the awareness and level of
demand for sustainable features in office buildings in Lagos state and the
willingness of prospective and existing users to pay for such features .luzkendorf,
it. And Lorenz, (2005) argued that investors are the main driver for green
building industry, however, client effective demand might be a major driver of
the green building industry in a capitalist market as investors may only be
willing to supply if there is an effective demand for sustainable features.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
research seeks answer to the following questions’
1)
What is the level of awareness of office users of sustainable concepts in
office buildings?
2)
What is the level of demand for various sustainable concepts within the study area;
Lagos Island.
3)
What are the factors driving the demand for sustainable features?
4) What are users willing to pay for sustainable
features?
1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
aim of the study is to investigate the level of users demand for green features
in office buildings within the study area.
The
objectives of this study include:
1)
To investigate the level of awareness of office users of sustainable concepts
in office buildings?
2)
To investigate the level of demand for various sustainable concept within the
study area; Lagos Island.
3)
To investigate the factors driving the demand for sustainable features?
4)
To determine what users are willing to pay for sustainable features?
1.5
JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY
Many empirical
studies which bother on sustainability in buildings tend to look at the importance
of sustainable features in building and more
as they affect health of occupiers and
climate change. However, little has been said especially in a fast
growing mega city like Lagos on the
level of awareness and demand for these assets.
This study therefore will be justified on a number of
grounds firstly, the fact that there is no known green building certification standard in
Nigeria speaks volume about the level of importance attached to the issue of
green or sustainable building. Hence this study tends to bring to bring green
building industry to the front burner of the construction industry by
underscoring the need for more public awareness on green developments.
Secondly, it is important to note to that many
developers of office building in the recent past have little or no
consideration for sustainability features when embarking on building project
because they are not informed on the demand side of the equation which in turn
is necessary to drive supply. Therefore,
this study tends to break the cycle of blame by determining the level of demand for them, which if
found to be ineffective demand might prompt other stake holders to embark on
green building delivery.
Lastly, this study will create an avenue for future
researchers to look more into the economics and cost elements of green designs
in building with a view to making green building more affordable, viable and
competitive against regular buildings.
1.6 RESEARCH METHOD
A chapter was devoted to a detailed consideration on
the methodology. The research methodology for this study will a random survey,
aimed at reaching the target population for this study. It
will involve the use of questionnaires to elicit answers from the target
population to answer the questions raised in the research questions. This
survey technique was adopted in order to obtain both similar and interesting
differences from the population of study.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
According to Hammed (2010), studies are usually
limited either empirically or explicitly in order to guide the mind and
expectation of the reader. This section therefore provides such clarification of
scope in precise terms.The scope of the study in this work is defined based on
the geographical boundaries, the exact subject of study and existing related
studies. It has been noted that wide and detailed studies provide stronger basis
for rigorous comparative analysis and more generalizable conclusions (Ajayi,
1990). However, for realistic reasons, the scope of the study is restricted for
a single researcher, with the justification that what one loses in width of
coverage, onegain’s in detail of coverage (Agbato, 2005).
The subject of study hinges on the demand for
sustainable features in office buildings in Lagos metropolis. The choice of
Lagos metropolis stems from the fact that roughly 70% of Real estate developers
operate in Lagos (Nubi, 2002) and owing to its mega city status the study finds
it reasonable to adopt Lagos so as to achieve expedited conclusion at
minimal cost. However the survey will cover the Lagos Island area of Lagos
metropolis.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Green technology – technological innovations that do not contribute to
greenhouse effects; technology which has renewable source.
Green building – buildings that generates
all or most of its energy from renewable or alternative energy source.
Environmental pollution – emissions from industries
and machines that pollute air, water etc and can generate unpleasant noise with
negative environmental impact and health consequences.
Green features – renewable and alternative
energy forms, like solar panels, wind turbine, bio fuels etc.
Office building – any property designed and
constructed for official purposes; not intended for residential purposes.
1.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The outcome of a research might be dependent on
various factors as analysed by Walker (1997), these factors include the choice
of an appropriate research methodology, how reliable the data collected are and
the application of appropriate statistical tools, if relevant.
Firstly, getting literature on the subject matter
appeared challenging as the area of research is relatively new in the Nigerian
context and as such an over dependent on foreign literatures which are usually
written in line with usually contrasting realities to what the ideal situations
are in a developing country like ours.
Secondly, the study encountered slow progress in
eliciting responses from respondents as
most of the targeted population seemed not to really understand the
concept of sustainable or green building and as such a great deal of effort was
deployed to educate them on the subject matter in order to elicit the right
responses from them.
Needless to say that time and finance are of essence
in any research work of this nature and are usually not friends of the
researcher. Hence time and financial constraint are also limiting factors to
this work.
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