Sheikh Zuhaib, Richard Manton, Magdalena Hajdukiewicz, Marcus M. Keane and Jamie Goggins
There is profound demand for higher skills and expertise in retrofitting the existing building stock of Europe. The delivery of low- or nearly zero-energy retrofits is highly…
Abstract
Purpose
There is profound demand for higher skills and expertise in retrofitting the existing building stock of Europe. The delivery of low- or nearly zero-energy retrofits is highly dependent on technical expertise, adoption of new materials, methods of construction and innovative technologies. Future Irish national building regulations will adopt the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive vision of retrofitting existing buildings to higher energy efficiency standards. Construction industry stakeholders are key for the achievement of energy performance targets. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to assess the attitudes, approaches and experiences of Irish construction professionals regarding energy efficient buildings, particularly nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a series of quantitative and qualitative methods, including a survey, a workshop and detailed interviews with professionals in the retrofit industry. The structure of this approach was informed by preliminary data and information available on the Irish construction sector.
Findings
There is a substantial amount of ambiguity and reluctance among the professionals in reaching the Irish nZEB targets. The growing retrofit industry demonstrates low-quality auditing and pre/post-retrofit analysis. Basic services and depth of retrofits are compromised by project budgets and marginal profits. Unaligned value supply chain, poor interaction among nZEB professionals and fragmented services are deterrents to industry standardisation.
Practical implications
This study will enable construction industry stakeholders to make provisions for overcoming the barriers, gaps and challenges identified in the practices of the retrofit projects. It will also inform the formulation of policies that drive retrofit uptake.
Social implications
This study has implications for understanding the social barriers existing in retrofit projects. Support from clients/owners has a diverse impact on energy performance and retrofit decisions. Community-based initiatives are key to unlock the promotion of nZEBs.
Originality/value
This paper provides an overview of current activities of retrofit professionals and analyses the barriers, gaps and challenges in the industry.
Details
Keywords
Rana Yassir Hussain, Xuezhou Wen, Haroon Hussain, Muhammad Saad and Zuhaib Zafar
Corporate boards monitor managerial decisions as concluded by the monitoring hypothesis. In this scenario, the present study stresses that leverage decisions can be used as a tool…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate boards monitor managerial decisions as concluded by the monitoring hypothesis. In this scenario, the present study stresses that leverage decisions can be used as a tool to control insolvency risk.
Design/methodology/approach
This study aims at investigating the intervention of capital structure and debt maturity on the relationship between corporate board composition and insolvency risk by employing Preacher and Hayes’s (2008) approach. The study sample comprises 284 firms from 2013 to 2017. Structural equation modeling is used to study the direct and indirect relationships among study variables.
Findings
Results show that debt maturity is a significant mediator between CEO duality and insolvency risk and between board size and insolvency risk relationships. However, the capital structure did not mediate any of the proposed links.
Research limitations/implications
This study suggests using more long-term debt to tackle insolvency risk in listed non-financial firms of Pakistan. It is also inferred that decisions regarding debt maturity are more crucial than capital structure decisions because insolvency risk is concerned.
Originality/value
This study evaluates the comparative mediating role of the debt maturity and the capital structure. Such role is uncommon in the literature addressing the relationship between governance variables and insolvency risk.