Evaluating the current state of sustainable design practices in construction: a case of Kampala district.

Abstract

This research report aimed at evaluating the current state of sustainable design practices in the construction industry in developing countries using Kampala as a case study. To achieve this, this research adopted a multi-faceted approach encompassing literature reviews and questionnaires both physical and online to construction design professionals i.e., engineers, architects and quantity surveyors who provided insights into the application of sustainable design practices. This research aimed to identify the specific building types where sustainable design practices were most prevalent and the professionals were asked to identify how often they applied these SDPs to the different building types. This analysis helped understand the factors driving the application of sustainable design in different building types and uncovered potential areas for improvement and expansion. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify and analyze the barriers that impeded the widespread application of sustainable design practices and the solutions to the identified barriers that could be applied to counteract the barriers. This research uncovered that majority of the barriers were related to high costs and lack of awareness in the industry in general. By achieving a comprehensive understanding of the implementation strategies employed by different participants and identifying the barriers they encountered, this research provided valuable insights into the then-current state of sustainable design practices in developing countries. Overall, this study uncovered that majority of the respondents were not aware of sustainable design and had a moderate level of professional commitment to applying it however, provided insights on how they would apply sustainability at the different stages of construction with an aim to foster discussions and facilitate collaborative efforts to overcome barriers and promote the widespread adoption of sustainable design practices, ultimately leading to a more sustainable built environment in developing countries.