Barriers, drivers and prospects of the energy efficiency code in the Lagos real estate market

Abstract

This paper explores potential bariers and drivers to the uptake of new regulations for energy efficiency currently being introduced into the Lagos real estate market and how professionals percieve this, and then discusses how these might impact on achieveing SDG 7.2. An online survey of thirty real estate professionals involved in property development sector was carried out to ascertain this. The sampled real estate professionals are those listed in directories of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, as well as professionals who had taken part in a federal government sponsored energy efficiency training in Lagos. Analysis of the close-ended questionaire was carried out using simple descriptive statistics, while open ended questions were analysed using ATLAS.ti 8, a computer aided qualitative data analysis software.There is a very positive outlook for the adoption of the energy efficiency code in Lagos, although professionals believed most of the prescriptions of the code are achievable only in the long term (that is not before the next five years). In reality, this signifies a risk to the process as policy push-backs from change in government has been experienced in recent times. Actions towards promoting policy entrenchment of the code in planning agencies, voluntary adoption of the code by professionals and their clients and engagement of a wider range of built environment professionals are recommended to ensure that Lagos attains a sigificant level of energy efficiency in its real estate development sector in the short to medium term.