The Use of Green Technology in the UK Construction Industry - Dissertation Example

Abstract

Green building technology plays a significant role in the implementation of application of sustainable strategies towards conserving the environment. Although the UK is gradually adapting to the use of green technology limited studies have been undertaken to explore the use of green technology in the United Kingdom. This thesis explores the use of green technology in the UK with emphasis placed on its widespread use, application and adoption into the construction industry. The resulting outcome shall come handy for the government and market practitioners for the growth and continued use of green technology.

Data used in this hypothesis is gotten from detailed questionnaire survey developed through in depth literature studies. Additionally, the questionnaire is done through and by experts in the field and who have an interest into the use of green technology in the UK. For comprehensive data analysis, various statistical methodologies are applied and the resulting outcome assessed in depth. Together with the questionnaire, case studies of green building structures in the UK are inspected and snapshots utilized for the purpose of this study. The resulting outcomes help in coming to terms with the use of green technology in the UK construction industry. Finally, commendations for researchers and government personnel are offered to help steer the sector in the right direction of continuity.

Key Words: Barriers, drivers, sustainability, green technology, United Kingdom construction Industry, Sustainable Design.

Acknowledgement

I gratefully acknowledge my Associate Professor for the continued assistance and support towards putting this thesis. His patience, dedication, and motivation played a key role in putting all this work in order. I am also grateful for the continuous help and motivation of Prof for unending advices and support. I highly acknowledge the inspiration of Prof ..for coming up with this relevant topic during my initial research studies. My special thanks go to guiding me through the questionnaire and survey tips. Thanks to you all!

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

Working Title

The Use of Green Technology in the UK Construction Industry, and Comparisons with other Green Building Technologies in Spain and Turkey to Highlight the Growing Trends in Green Construction Technologies

Study BackgroundAlthough the construction industry is among the leading contributors to energy waste and environmental pollution, the sector continues to lag behind in the discourses aimed at addressing the increasing climate change. The construction industry produces large amounts of wastewater, greenhouse gas emissions, and solid wastes in addition to destroying habitats through sand harvesting and cement extraction, and this leads to significant levels of environmental degradation. As such, the technological advances in the construction industry must address the need for sustainable development, improved energy efficiencies, and environmental protection through the reduced need for heating and artificial lighting among others (GhaffarianHoseini et al., 2013). Moreover, the increasing space constraints in urban areas due to the expanding populations in the United Kingdom necessitates the conservation of the usage of water and energy as well as using solar panels and rain water harvesting. One of the methods of reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and heating is through innovative building designs and materials.

The green technology involves putting up buildings that integrate solutions such as ambient lighting and heating, solar energy, reducing greenhouse gases, and wastewater management among others during construction. Buildings that incorporate green technologies improve financial efficiency through reduced energy consumption, and this has increased the interest in improving the quality of building designs and materials to enhance sustainability and livability in urban areas. Furthermore, green building and remodelling continue to gain prominence in improving business efficiency through reduced expenditures and comfort levels in residential buildings. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that the designing and the construction of buildings that incorporate green technologies is a new concept in the construction industry, and researchers continue to study its impacts on the environment. According to Chen et al. (2010), incorporating green technologies during the construction of buildings is an emerging trend in the construction industry, and this calls for further investigations on the potential environmental impacts, cost effectiveness, and suitability of the green technology over traditional construction methods. As such, it is important to evaluate the adoption of green technology and its long-term impacts on the United Kingdoms construction industry.

Rationale for the Study

What is the Issue?

Green building construction focuses on sustainable development that involves environmental protection and resource maximization to reduce wastage. Additionally, green building technologies aim at improving the quality of indoor environments and reducing the adverse environmental impacts of construction activities. Green technologies continue to become the standard in the construction industry across many countries, and this is significant because the building sector contributes a substantial amount of greenhouse emissions and energy consumption. As such, manufacturers of building materials must ensure that they produce materials that consume little energy during production and do not cause environmental degradation. Green building construction has gained prominence in the United Kingdom as the government seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and waste management from the construction industry. McClelland (2016) observes that the construction industry in the United Kingdom ranks highly in the international indices, and this makes green technologies desirable to realise the governments need for a low-carbon economy. Consequently, the United Kingdom government is committed to creating opportunities to develop new technologies and materials that improve energy efficiencies in buildings, reduce greenhouse emissions, and reduce water wastage.

The United Kingdom government adopted the zero carbon policy in December 2006 with the target of ensuring that all domestic buildings produced minimum to zero greenhouse emissions before 2019 (DCLG, 2007). Moreover, the policy has ensured that all non-domestic buildings must receive the Energy Performance Certificate before they begin their operations. The United Kingdom government introduced the Code for Sustainable Homes as a method of encouraging construction companies to enhance the energy efficiencies of new homes voluntarily. However, the constructors have built very few homes that meet the standards stipulated in the Code, and such buildings have mainly been constructed in the public sector housing. Statistics on the low levels of adherence to the Code for Sustainable Homes demonstrates the reticence among the stakeholders in the private construction sector to build houses that meet the standards of the Zero Carbon policy (Goodchild & Walshaw, 2011; Peterman, Kourula, & Levitt, 2012). Thus, the construction companies are among the reasons that the United Kingdom government may not achieve its vision of adopting green technology in its construction industry and reducing greenhouse emissions from buildings.

Other significant factors that impede the uptake of green technologies in during the construction of buildings include un...