Factors Influencing Green Building Development in Kazakhstan

Daniyar Assylbekov,Md Aslam Hossain,Gulzhanat Akhanova,Malik Khalfan,Abid Nadeem

doi:10.3390/buildings11120634

Daniyar Assylbekov, Md Aslam Hossain + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11120634

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Abstract

Green buildings have been actively spreading as a solution for sustainability issues of the construction industry in at least the last two decades. As green building practices unfold in developing countries, the need of identifying factors that both hinder and drive its spread rises. Multiple studies reveal a general inconsistency among results in different parts of the world, caused by each country’s environmental, economic, and social conditions. Taking into account the experience of developing international green buildings and the current state of green building development in Kazakhstan, this study aims to spread the understanding of the factors that hinder and have the potential to drive the development of green buildings in Kazakhstan. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 38 industry experts in Kazakhstan to accomplish study objectives. Multiple data analysis methods were used to identify correlations among groups of experts and rank the factors. The results revealed a lack of skill/experience, a lack of government support, and the high cost of sustainable materials and products as the most crucial barriers. Water and energy efficiency, improved health of occupants, comfort, and satisfaction were identified as the most influential drivers. By expanding knowledge on factors affecting the implementation of green buildings, the study uncovered common trends in the responses of professionals, providing valuable information for field professionals and suggesting future research recommendations.

Highlights

Green building was presented as a solution to multiple environmental, economic, and social problems
The study results vary in different places due to the uniqueness of the area and the time the study is carried out, and the development of green buildings must compensate for continuous trade-offs
This study investigates barriers and drivers of green building implementation and their significance with Kazakhstan’s perspective through a comprehensive questionnaire survey

Summary

Introduction

The construction phase, including material manufacturing, is responsible for 10% and the operation phase of the buildings responsible for another 28% of global CO2 emissions [1]. Essential needs such as heating or cooking require the use of carbon-intensive sources of energy such as oil, gas, and coal, consuming around 60% of the global electricity used just for building operation purposes [1]. The energy consumption of residential and nonresidential buildings takes up to 30%, and the building construction industry represents 5% of global energy use as of 2019 [1]. The construction industry is a significant contributor to global warming, resource depletion, and air and water pollution, and is the cause of various natural hazards [5,6,7]

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