The Sustainable Building Task Force Blueprint (Kats et al., 2003) identified incomplete integration within and between projects as a barrier to sustainable buildings. Within individual projects, commonly noted is the need to consider sustainability as early as possible in the building process and to involve a wide range of stakeholders throughout the process, even in parts they would not normally be considered to require input (for example, Hawken et al., 1999; Rocky Mountain Institute et al., 1998; US Green Building Council, 2007). As mentioned in Chapter 2, not doing so can lead to a ‘bolt-on’ approach to sustainability which misses opportunities to optimise the design and achieve cost-saving synergies.
Although still not widely discussed in the literature, the issue of supply chains as a barrier to sustainable housing is starting to gain prominence. For example, a survey of housing associations and developers building houses in compliance with the EcoHomes rating tool in the UK found that the key barrier was seen to be a lack of an established supply chain for procuring the products necessary for compliance, with 63 per cent of respondents identifying this as a barrier (compared to only 25 per cent who identified cost) (Wilson &
Smith, 2006).
The specifics of integration will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 8.
4.3.8 Aesthetics
Aesthetics are rarely raised in the literature as a specific barrier to sustainable building, with an exception being Janda (1998), who concluded that many building design decisions, particularly when architects are involved, are made more on a basis of
aesthetics than for any other compelling reason, such as sustainability (although it should be noted that this observation was made with a focus on the commercial construction industry). An interesting corollary to this, which is not widely discussed in the literature, is the reduced likelihood of sustainability features to be incorporated in a building if they cost more but are not obviously visible to clients and customers. For example, Dewick and Miozzo (2002) note that thermal insulation, because it is hidden behind walls, roofs and floors has no aesthetic properties and “architects, in particular, may wish to channel resources towards more visible technologies” (p. 836). Koebel & Cavell (2006) and Hoffman & Henn (2008) similarly found that customers place emphasis on benefits that are visible, discounting invisible building improvements without short-term payback periods. Hoffman & Henn note “…by investing in ‘upgrades’ that are hard to see (extra insulation, tighter windows, energy efficient water heaters), the comparative and psychological payback of tangible items like a new Jacuzzi, kitchen renovation, or new addition become more salient” (2008, p. 10), further noting that this is even more of a problem in the context of indoor air quality.
4.4 Chapter Overview
In order to understand why sustainable housing is not the norm despite its obvious benefits (as described in Chapter 2), this chapter has articulated a range of barriers to sustainable housing (or construction more generally) which have been identified in the literature. Because limited research was available when this program commenced,
barriers to innovation more generally were also explored as sustainability can be considered a form of innovation.
The complexity of sustainable housing itself, with the large network of stakeholders involved in delivering it and the tendency towards a ‘vicious cycle of blame’, are key barriers to its greater adoption. Other barriers specifically identified in the literature include perceived increased capital costs; perceived lack of customer interest or willingness to pay; perceived increased risk; insufficient understanding, technological information, skills or tools; other cognitive/psychological barriers; inappropriate or inadequately enforced regulatory requirements; incomplete integration within and between projects and supply chains; and aesthetics. An important point raised by this research is that the barrier does not need to be real; a perception of builders that it is can act as a sufficient barrier in its own right.
The construction industry is not generally renowned for its adoption of innovation more broadly, possibly due to the craft-based nature of the industry and low levels of education.
However, a number of scholars have challenged this view.
The barriers to innovation broadly exist at the level of the individual, within individual organisations, and at a wider institutional level which encompasses factors such as the market context, the regulatory framework and industry characteristics. Barriers must be tackled at each of these levels to genuinely support sustainable building initiatives.
While it is beyond the scope of this research to explore the characteristics of individuals which influence adoption of innovation in any depth, the need for innovations to be compatible with organisational norms and cultures has been discussed. Importantly, it was identified that the attributes which promote stability within organisations, and which would assist the successful ongoing implementation of innovations, are very often the exact attributes which act as barriers to their initial adoption.
Other factors influencing innovation in the industry include the attributes of the innovation itself including its attractiveness and ease of adoption; the market context (and particularly the role played by customers); and the industry characteristics which were largely covered in Chapter 3. Significantly, this chapter has illustrated that driving change is about much more than expecting individual building practitioners to do so within a broader context which is unsupportive.
To better understand the implications of this within the Australian volume housing context, these identified barriers were the focus of many of the interview questions. A discussion of strategies to overcome them, at least within builder organisations, is largely the focus of Chapters 8 and 9. Strategies to address wider institutional barriers are also touched on to a lesser extent, particularly in Chapter 10.
The following chapter provides a background to the three case study organisations and summarises some of the key sustainability initiatives they were undertaking, or had
recently undertaken at the time of the interviews. It also outlines future initiatives that were under consideration at that time, and then provides a brief update about developments which subsequently took place between the interviews and the current time.