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The increase in waste and carbon emissions from the construction industry continues to fester although sustainable design approaches such as designing for adaptability (DfA) have been approved as a viable option to minimize construction waste and greenhouse gases while providing cost savings on building projects. This paper examines the views of design professionals on the challenges to implementing DfA in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI).

A critical comparative review of the related literature was conducted on the international challenges to implementing adaptability. After the review, 16 challenges were identified and used as the basis of the questionnaire survey in the Ghanaian context. By using a quantitative approach, a close-ended structured questionnaire was used to seek the views of 236 design professionals operating in the GCI regarding these factors. Data retrieved were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The findings revealed the key challenges to implementing DfA among design professionals in Ghana to include “limited funding for adaptable buildings”, “lack of collaboration between design professionals, contractors and clients towards the realization of adaptable buildings”, “limited demand for adaptable buildings” and “lack of education and training programs on design for adaptability practices”.

The novelty or originality of this study lies in its focus on the GCI, an area where the concept of DfA has rarely been examined in practice despite its recognized potential benefits in reducing waste and emissions. The study offers a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by design professionals in Ghana. This level of detail is crucial for devising targeted strategies to promote DfA in the region.

This study draws on neoclassical and behavioural economics theories to provide an empirical insight into the effect of knowledge, costs, and social norms on damp-proofing residential buildings in Ghana.

This study used the quantitative approach involving survey data. A sample size of 242 participants was involved in the study. Applying principal component analysis on the responses from the participants, an index for damp-proofing, cost, knowledge, and social norms was derived. After generating the indexes, the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was applied to estimate the impact of knowledge, costs, and social norms on damp-proofing.

The results from the OLS regression revealed that knowledge has a significant positive effect on damp-proofing while costs and social norms have significant negative effect on damp-proofing in Ghana. This study, therefore, concludes that although neoclassical economic factors such as knowledge and cost affect behaviour (damp-proofing), behavioural factors such as social norms also matter.

The outcome of this study calls for policymakers to consider putting in place measures that increase knowledge and promote the use of damp-proofing techniques during the construction of buildings. In addition, the study calls for scholars to partake in collaborative research amongst disciplines such as economics, psychology, and the construction industry in order to provide more innovative solutions, the key of which is finding innovative ways to damp proof buildings.

This study is original in its context as it draws on neoclassical and behavioural economics theories to provide an empirical insight into the effect of knowledge, costs, and social norms on damp-proofing of residential buildings in Ghana. This is an area that has received less attention in the areas of building biology and building pathology globally.

The increasing concern for waste reduction in the global construction industry has led to diverse sustainable approaches emerging globally in the past decade. Material passport (MP), a growing approach, has been seen to be very promising. This study examines the implementation of materials passports in the Ghanaian construction industry.

The study adopted the quantitative research method. Having reviewed literature related to this study, questionnaires served as a means of soliciting the views of 77 professionals in the built environment in the Ghanaian construction industry on the theme under investigation. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used to analyze the data retrieved.

Findings from the study revealed that Ghanaian construction professionals possessed a low level of awareness of the concept of MPs. However, they showed a massive willingness to adopt MPs in their professional practice. The findings further revealed that the professionals believed challenges such as the lack of knowledge, complexities of MP in terms of its preparation, and lack of quality assurance for recovered products hinder the adoption of MPs. The findings also revealed that strategies such as adequate training and education, policies and regulations, and adequate stakeholder engagement could aid in the implementation of MPs in the Ghanaian construction industry.

For the concept of MPs to gain a firm foundation globally, its perception and implementation must be explored thoroughly. This empirical study, being the first to investigate MP implementation in Ghana, has provided insights into the topic from the perspective of professionals operating in the Ghanaian construction industry. The paper reveals information on the practice of MPs from the context of a typical developing country.