ASSESSMENT OF THE DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABLE FEATURES IN OFFICE BUILDINGS
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ASSESSMENT OF THE DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABLE FEATURES IN OFFICE BUILDINGS
ABSTRACT
Building energy services, which include thermal comfort, refrigeration, illumination, communication and entertainment, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, and other amenities, account for a considerable portion of global energy use.
In addition to the energy spent directly in buildings, primary energy is wasted in the conversion of electricity, heat, and petroleum products, and energy carriers must be transported and transmitted.
Furthermore, building construction, maintenance, and destruction demand energy, as does the production of furniture and appliances, as well as the provision of infrastructural services such as water and sanitation. This study looked on the demand for sustainability in Lagos office buildings.
The data was gathered through the use of self-administered questionnaires. The obtained data was analysed using chi-square, where the critical value was p value x20.05, with the assistance of SPSS version 20.
The results suggested that there is a fair understanding of green building among the residents and individuals who work on Lagos Island and its environs. The demand for green building will grow over time, as will the willingness to pay for green building elements.
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The concept of sustainability has grown in popularity in commercial real estate conversations during the last few years. According to the Investment Property Forum, (2009),
this has been fueled in large part by a growing recognition 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 resulting strain on the environment.
The change in energy use patterns and intensity in the built environment, as well as the growing carbon footprint and other environmental concerns, have been attributed to rising real estate demand and changes in design and construction strategies,
materials, and product development, which initiated the supply of more complex buildings with massive increases in energy, carbon, and environmental footprint (U.S Department of Energy, 2010), and this is now the major concern.
Globally, the built sector is claimed to account for over 40% of total energy end demand. (International Energy Agency, 2008).Developed countries are becoming more proactive in their efforts to promote responsible energy use in the built environment.
This has invariably resulted in different policy interventions by leading governments around the world, as well as technology advancements, all targeted at modifying the pattern of energy usage in the built environment, albeit poor and third-world countries lag far behind.
Sustainable building refers to a structure and procedure that are ecologically responsible and resource-efficient throughout the life-cycle of a building: from citation to design, construction,
operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. In other words, green building design entails striking a balance between homebuilding and environmental sustainability.
According to studies, many industrialised countries have accepted the concept of sustainability in modern building design, and this phenomena is gradually being adopted by many poor countries as well (EPA, 2009).
In recent years, the terms sustainability and energy efficiency have been used interchangeably, despite the fact that sustainability encompasses a broader range of elements such as energy efficiency, water efficiency, waste reduction, and so on. The global growth in energy costs is driving the global adoption of energy-efficient technology.
According to TAC (2006), “Owners of commercial office buildings today face rising energy costs, creating very difficult challenges in managing building operation costs;
thus, there is a need for consideration of sustainability and energy efficiency in the design of new buildings, while strategies and incentives should be developed to make the existing stock of buildings more sustainable.”
Understanding the environmental impacts of buildings and their relative importance has been described as one of the major tools to aid in the creation of sustainable development, according to Lehrer (2001).
Buildings have the most impact primarily in the energy used in building operations, particularly lighting, air conditioning, and other appliances,
which have a significant impact on both environmental and energy resources in the form of emissions and pollutions. Sustainability, on the other hand, is a goal that allows for the continuous development of living standards while avoiding irreversible damage to the resources we require to thrive as a species (Lehrer 2001).
However, most countries, including Nigeria, have paid less attention to the issue of sustainability. In his research of the economics of green design and environmental sustainability, Otegbulu (2011) noted that despite Nigeria’s massive environmental and energy problems, designers have not felt the necessity to abandon their traditional technique of creating buildings.
This lack of supply of more sustainable buildings could be attributed to a lack of motivation on the part of building users and occupiers, or to a general lack of understanding of sustainability ideas.
It is crucial to remember that installing green elements in buildings, whether through green design or retrofitting, may increase the original cost of construction but may have a positive influence on the building’s future operating costs.
Unless there is a significant demand for green features in office buildings, ensuring that developers recoup their investment, the concept of sustainable building and its benefits may continue to elude us.
Green building measures can lead not only to lower building operating expenses through reduced utility and waste disposal costs, but also to lower ongoing building maintenance costs ranging from salaries to suppliers.
Compliance with worldwide standards in sustainable properties is becoming increasingly important, as these not only provide benefits such as lower operating and maintenance costs for building owners, but also lower cost of occupancy and better comfort for building occupants.
However, because sustainability features for buildings are always expensive, both for new and old buildings, user awareness and demand for such features can create an incentive for developers and building owners to increase supply of such features, thereby providing all the benefits of sustainability to the local environment and users of office buildings in Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The built environment has used an increasing amount of ecological and energy resources in recent decades, which has been attributed to the increasing complexity of the built environment, which is constantly evolving to meet contemporary social needs (US Department of Energy, 2008).
This has continued to draw the attention of governments, organisations, and other concerned individuals around the world to the strain on the environment and the significant consequences of irresponsible energy use, such as environmental pollution at the societal level and the cost of operating buildings at the individual level.
This has resulted in the emergence of the green and sustainable building movements, and governments and environmental organisations all over the world are constantly promoting the concept of sustainability in the property industry.
This quest for sustainability includes rehabilitating existing structures to make them more sustainable, as well as designing new buildings with sustainability in mind.
According to Otegbulu (2011), incorporating a green or sustainable design concept aims to reduce energy, operation, and maintenance costs, reduce building-related illness, increase building occupant productivity and comfort, reduce waste and pollution, and increase building and component durability and flexibility.
However, it has been observed that in Nigeria, the Green concept, sustainability, and environmental issues are rarely taken into account while designing a new building or remodelling an existing one (Otegbulu,2011).
The cost of incorporating such features into new structures or making existing buildings more sustainable might be ascribed to a lack of support or drive towards sustainability. Furthermore, existing demand for such features may be regarded as one of the primary reasons for the scarcity of sustainable buildings.
According to Otegbulu, Osagie, and Famuyiwa (2009), the excitement of identifying an unmet human need and developing a product to fill it in a project is the stimulus that drives development.
According to Miles, Berens, Eppli, and Weiss (2007), the best idea is one that results in a product that serves the user adequately, adds value to the community, and does so profitably.
In real estate development decisions, developers consider trends in the type of development, market depth, and market perceived value, because real estate value is largely determined by the utility derived by users, as well as effective demand for the services or amenities that real estate provides. Otegbulu (2009) cites (Shilling 2002).
According to Otegbulu (2011), certain buildings in Nigeria exhibit one or more of the several verified criteria of green design, but developers have yet to embrace the concept of a holistic approach to green building design. In light of this finding, the purpose of this study is to investigate the level of knowledge and demand for sustainable features in office buildings in Lagos state,
as well as the willingness of prospective and present users to pay for such amenities.luzkendorf, it. And Lorenz (2005) argued that investors are the primary driver of the green building industry; however, in a capitalist market,
client effective demand may be a major driver of the green building industry, as investors may only be willing to supply if there is an effective demand for sustainable features.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study intends to answer the following questions’
1) What is the level of awareness of sustainable principles in office buildings among office users?
2) How popular are various sustainable concepts in the study region of Lagos Island?
3) What are the elements driving the demand for environmentally friendly features?
4) How much are people prepared to pay for long-term features?
1.4 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study’s goal is to look into the extent of user demand for green features in office buildings in the study area.
The following are the study’s objectives:
1) To investigate the level of awareness of sustainable principles in office buildings among office users.
2) To look into the amount of demand for various sustainable concepts in the research region of Lagos Island.
3) What factors are driving the need for sustainable features?
4) How much are people prepared to pay for long-term features?
1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Many empirical studies on building sustainability focus on the importance of sustainable features in buildings and how they affect occupant health and climate change. However, little has been stated about the amount of knowledge and demand for these assets, particularly in a rapidly rising megacity like Lagos.
This study will thus be justified on several grounds. First, the fact that there is no known green building certification standard in Nigeria speaks volumes about the importance placed on the issue of green or sustainable building.
As a result, this study tends to push the green building industry to the forefront of the construction industry by emphasising the need for increased public awareness of green developments.
Second, it is important to note that many office building developers in recent years have had little or no regard for sustainability features when embarking on building projects because they are not informed on the demand side of the equation, which in turn is required to drive supply.
As a result, this study seeks to break the blame cycle by determining the degree of demand for them, which, if found to be ineffectual, may motivate other stakeholders to start on green building delivery.
Finally, this study will pave the way for future researchers to delve deeper into the economics and cost factors of green building designs in order to make green buildings more inexpensive, practical, and competitive with conventional structures.
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A chapter was devoted to a thorough examination of the methodology. The research approach for this study will be a random survey aiming at targeting the study’s target audience.
It will involve the use of questionnaires to elicit responses from the target population in order to answer the research questions. This survey technique was used to acquire both similar and interesting differences from the research population.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
According to Hammed (2010), studies are typically constrained, either experimentally or overtly, in order to direct the reader’s mind and expectations. This section clarifies the scope of the study in concrete terms. The scope of the study in this work is defined based on geographical borders, the specific subject of inquiry, and existing relevant studies.
Ajayi (1990) observed that broad and extensive investigations give a firmer foundation for rigorous comparative analysis and more generalizable conclusions. However, for practical reasons,
the scope of the study is limited to a single researcher, with the explanation that what one loses in coverage width, one gains in coverage detail (Agbato, 2005).
The study’s focus is on the demand for environmentally friendly elements in office buildings in Lagos. The choice of Lagos metropolis derives from the fact that around 70% of real estate developers operate in Lagos (Nubi, 2002),
and the study thinks it appropriate to select Lagos due to its mega city status in order to obtain an expedited conclusion at a low cost. However the survey would cover the Lagos Island portion ofLagos city.
1.8 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Green technology — technological breakthroughs that do not contribute to greenhouse effects; technology which has renewable source.
Green buildings are those that get all or most of their energy from renewable or alternative sources.
Environmental pollution is caused by emissions from companies and machinery that pollute the air, water, and soil, as well as generate unpleasant noise, all of which have a severe influence on the environment and health.
Green characteristics include renewable and alternative energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, biofuels, and so on.
Any facility developed and built for official functions that is not intended for domestic use is referred to as an office block.
1.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
According to Walker (1997), the outcome of a research can be influenced by a number of aspects, including the selection of an adequate research technique, the reliability of the data obtained, and the use of proper statistical tools, if applicable.
To begin with, obtaining literature on the subject appeared difficult because the area of research is relatively new in the Nigerian context and thus overly reliant on foreign literatures, which are typically written in line with often contrasting realities to what the ideal situations are in a developing country like ours.
Second, the study made slow progress in eliciting responses from respondents because the majority of the targeted population did not appear to understand the concept of sustainable or green building, necessitating a significant amount of effort to educate them on the subject in order to elicit the appropriate responses from them.
Needless to say, time and money are essential in any study project of this sort, and they are usually not the researcher’s friends. As a result, time and money are also constraints in this work.
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