EXAMINING BARRIERS AND MEASURES TO ACCELERATE GREEN BUILDING INTEGRATION IN THE SRI LANKAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Abstract

1. Introduction The construction industry is the world’s largest consumer of environmental resources. Therefore, the industry presents greater risks to the environment. The green building concept has acquired greater attention in the recent past due to wider sustainability benefits. However, the Sri Lankan construction industry showcases a very slow progress towards integrating green building practices. Hence, this study aims to identify the barriers and measures to overcome challenges, thereby accelerating the integration of green building practices in the sector. 2. Research Methodology Barriers and measures were identified through a comprehensive literature review, in-depth interviews with four experts, and a questionnaire survey. Factor analysis was employed to assess the significance of the barriers and measures while ranking analysis highlighted key barriers in integrating green building practices. 3. Findings and Discussion Factor analysis revealed six categories of barriers: innovation-related, resource-related, economic, governmental and social, technical, and management barriers. The ranking analysis highlighted the most critical measures for integrating green building practices, starting with the need for an organizational framework to effectively implement green building principles, followed by the importance of green building codes, easy access to green building rating tools, comprehensive education and training opportunities, pressure from internal and external stakeholders, and organizational confidence in the long-term benefits. 4. Conclusion and Implications The study presents a comprehensive list of barriers that should be overcome to accelerate the integration of green building practices. It is recommended to establish strong frameworks, accessible rating tools, promoting education and stakeholder engagement to build confidence to enable fast integration.