Barriers of Green Building Technology Adoption in Malaysia: Contractors’ Perspective

Abstract

Green building technology, sometimes referred to as eco-friendly building materials are used in building constructions with minimal negative influence on the surrounding natural environment such as using renewable resources rather than relying on depletable fossil fuels. The problem statement of this research is the high cost of the green building material; lack of awareness of adopting green building practices among construction players; and lack of availability of technology. The aim of the research is to identify the factors contributing to the lack of adoption of green building technology among contractors and find a way to increase its use in the future. Therefore, this research has set the objectives of determining the factors contributing to low adoption of green building technology and recommending ways to increase the adoption of green building technology. This research adopts a quantitative method by using a questionnaire survey. A total of 341 Grade 7 contractors registered with Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) were selected as the respondents of this study. According to the findings, the majority of respondents identified a high initial investment and long payback period as significant barriers to implementing green building technology in construction. Besides, lack of awareness and financial resources were also found to be major contributors to the low implementation.