Assessing homeowners’ awareness of green technologies in residential housing development: evidence from Ghana

Abstract

PurposeUsing and promoting green technologies in residential buildings might be a far more practical strategy for developing a sustainable built environment. The primary goal of this study is to examine homeowners' knowledge and awareness of the different green technologies and concepts that can be adopted to improve the quality of their homes.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a sequential mix technique methodology in order to accomplish its goal. A total of 156 respondents were chosen for a survey within the research areas using a simple random sample approach, while interviewees were chosen using a purposive sampling approach methodology. Descriptive and inferential statistics as well as content analysis were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.FindingsThe findings indicate that homeowners have moderate knowledge of green technologies. It was also evident that print and electronic media are excellent at capturing and reaching a diverse range of homeowners interested in learning about sustainable development issues. Furthermore, the top three green technologies that most homeowners are aware of are using local materials over imported materials, grey water reclaiming and reuse technology and solar water heating technology. Subsequently, the homeowners in the three communities have differing opinions about the majority (82%) of the green technologies examined.Originality/valueThe findings will serve as a useful guide to assist practitioners and policymakers in implementing appropriate methods to integrate green technologies into housing projects and subsequently encourage their adoption.