The U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines green

buildings as “the practice of creating structures and using processes
that are environmentally responsible and resource – efficient
throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction,
operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice
expands and complements the classical building design concerns of
economy, utility, durability, and comfort” (Khaemba, P. (2013)). The
construction industry worldwide attains to generate the consumption
for 40% of total energy production and 16% of the entire sum of
water volume available, as well as the production for 25% of
greenhouse gas emissions and 30-40% of all solid wastes (Agnes,
M., & Koestoer, R. H. (2021)).
In addition; it is estimated that building stock that will be built in Sub-
Saharan Africa by 2050 will be three times greater than the current
overall building stock of Europe (Aste, N., Butera, F. M., Adhikari, R.
S., & Leonforte, F. (2020)). Towards saving the planet, it became
crucial to stop the depletion of the natural capitals of the earth
thorough developing creative and innovative solutions that achieve the
objectives of present generations without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs (Othman, A.A., & Ghaly,
M.A. (2014)). Global sustainability goals have led to the development
of the green building movement (Sinha, A., Gupta, R., & Kutnar, A.
(2013)).
Efficient and productive buildings are considered as a key factor in
sustainable cities, and they can contribute to achieving regional
national and international Sustainable Development Goals (Wen, B.,
Musa, S. N., Onn, C. C., Ramesh, S., Liang, L., Wang, W., & Ma, K.
(2020)). Nevertheless, the adoption of green buildings technologies all
over the world faced many challenges in developed countries as
developing countries. A short literature review clarifies the situation.
 In China, five top barriers have been identified as the main challenges: Lack
of government incentives, extra costs associated with green buildings
technologies, dependence on traditional construction technology, a shortage of
technological training for project staff and conflicts of interest among
stakeholders in green buildings technologies adoption (Wang, Y., Chong, D.,
& Liu, X. (2021)).
 In Australia, perceived financial risks such as split incentives, initial capital costs ,
lack of life cycle costing, construction risks, material procurement ,site practices
and the current regulatory environment (Wilson, J. L., & Tagaza, E. (2006)),
hindered the use of those technologies.
 Skilled personal, unsupportive government policies and regulations (Mosly, I.
(2015)) have been identified as most barriers to the usumption of green buildings
technologies in Saudi Arabia .

 In Canada and internationally, the need to involve governments at all levels in

increasing public awareness, establishing new regulations and standards;
defining sustainability as a key national strategic priority across all
government departments, in the private sector and at the community level
(Afshari, H., Issa, M. H., & Peng, Q. (2013, May)) have been listed as the
most drivers to the promotion of green buildings technologies.
 In Ghana, cultural change resistance, lack of government
commitment, fear of higher investment costs, lack of
professional knowledge, and lack of legislation (Ametepey, O.,
Aigbavboa, C., & Ansah, K. (2015)) are the main factors
hindering the green buildings technologies adoption.

 A systematic literature review on barriers to green buildings

adoption through academic journals revealed lack of
information, cost, incentives, interest and demand, lack of green
buildings codes and regulations, the most reported barriers in the
literature (Darko, A., & Chan, A. P. (2017)).
 In Kenya, the level of awareness , price, limited options in
the market, lack of information, reliability of using
renewable energy, uncertain returns, lack of interest and
fear of the unknown (Mwero, J.N., & Aduda, V. (2019)), were
identified as most factors hindering the adoption of green
buildings technologies. This doctoral research has a crucial
important as it will provide informations about green
buildings technologies in Burundi and the factors that
hinder the uptake of those technologies in Burundi‘s
construction industry. It will also propose sensitive
measures to promote usumption of green buildings
technologies in Burundi.
In the mid-1970s,some efforts to reduce energy
consumption and promoting renewable resources were
used. Since early 1990s,green buildings movement
impacted the design, construction, operation and
concerns of the built environment (Kibert, C. J.,
Sendzimir, J., & Guy, G. B. (Eds.). (2003)). However, in
developing countries, green buildings movement faced
many challenges which hindered its development for
many years.
In Burundi, the use of green buildings technologies in
construction industry is at a lower level. In addition,
no researches conducted in green buildings to
investigate the factors that prevented the adoption of
these technologies. This doctoral research will light
the case and its findings, should contribute to the
knowledge movement in green buildings
technologies in Burundi and abroad.
Q1: What is the level of knowledges about green buildings
technologies among stakeholders in Burundi’s construction
industry?
Q2: What is the level of green buildings technologies awereness in
Burundi’s construction industry?
Q3: What is Burundi education system contribution in promoting the
use of green buildings technologies in Burundi?
Q4: What is the economic and social contribution of green buildings
technologies usumption in residential building?
Q5: What is the contribution of government legislation in promoting
the uptake of green buildings technologies in Burundi?
H1: Green buildings technologies awereness in Burundi is at a lower level

H2: The lack of knowledge about green buildings technologies among

takeholders in Burundi’s construction industry, is the one of the most
obstacles to the uptake of green buildings technologies

H3: Burundi education system has less contribution to the knowledge

movement about green buildings technologies

H4: The uptake of green buildings technologies has much economic and
social profit in residential buildings

H5: Lack of public legislation related the green buildings technologies

movement is the one among the most obstacles to usumption of these
technologies in Burundi construction industry
Mainly our research will be guided by the two following objectives:

 To investigate the factors hindering the adoption of

green buildings technologies in Burundi’s construction
industry

 To investigate the factors that influence the promotion

green buildings technologies adoption in Burundi’s
construction industry
Specific objectives for this research are :
 To investigate the knowledges level in green buildings
technologies hold by stakeholders (engeneers, architects,
public institutions personals in charge of buildings and
infrastructures and so on) in construction industry
 To investigate the awareness level of green buildings
technologies in Burundi
 To investigate the economic and social contribution of
green buildings technologies application in residential
buildings
 To assess the education system contribution to the green
buildings technologies movement in Burundi
 Literature Review
Literature review will provide a comprehensive review of the
existing literature related to the green buildings technologies
adoption in construction industry all over the World.

 A quantitative approach will be used in this research with the data

collected by way of targeted population survey ( stakeholders in
Burundi’s construction industry) and closed ended questionnaire
distributed online.
Data analysis will be done by using professional software.

 Findings will be used for what?

The findings in this doctoral research will be helpful first of all:

 to improve the knowledge about Green Buildings

technologies

 to contribute to the adoption of green buildings technologies

that might improve the performance in the construction

industry in general.
And secondly:

 To help the policy makers in Burundi and his development

partners to know on which elements to act in the aim of
promoting the adoption of green buildings technologies.

 Finally, the findings in this research will further contribute to

the achievement of national ,regional and international
sustainable development.


 Evaluation of teachers knowledges about green buildings technologies as

a factors of their adoption : The case of civil engineering field in Burundi

 Contribution of the curricula in civil engineering field for transmitting the

knowledges about green buildings technologies in Burundi

 Evaluation of public legislation contribution in promoting the use of green

buildings technologies in Burundi’s construction industry

 Evaluation of local medias contribution in promoting the asumption of

green buildings technologies in Burundi

 Evaluation of economic and social contribution of green buildings

technologies application in residential buildings: A prospective study in

Gasenyi-Nyakabondo Quarter
Thank you for your
attention!