scholarly journals MARKET READINESS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR GREEN BUILDINGS: CASE STUDY FROM HONG KONG

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhonghua Gou ◽  
Stephen Siu-Yu Lau ◽  
Deo Prasad
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Green Construction ◽  
Green Development ◽  
Building Market ◽  
Technology Level

This study is to assess developers' market readiness to green construction including their ideas on green construction, their understanding of current green building policies, their awareness and familiarity with green building and related industries, and the barriers they are facing for implementing green building projects. By eleven face-to-face semi-structured interviews with locally-based developers, the study finds that the Green Building Market in Hong Kong is basically ready in technology level. However, the motivation for green development is confined to commercial buildings for lease. Legislation is agreed by developers as an effective motivator to green building development. An effective mechanism to provide incentives for market players to adopt green voluntarily is explored in this paper. Expedited permits and density bonus are thought to be major incentives.

scholarly journals Zero Carbon Building Practices in Aotearoa New Zealand

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4455
Author(s):  
Thao Thi Phuong Bui ◽  
Suzanne Wilkinson ◽  
Niluka Domingo ◽  
Casimir MacGregor
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Zero Carbon

In the light of climate change, the drive for zero carbon buildings is known as one response to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Within New Zealand, research on climate change mitigation and environmental impacts of buildings has received renewed attention. However, there has been no detailed investigation of zero carbon building practices. This paper undertakes an exploratory study through the use of semi-structured interviews with government representatives and construction industry experts to examine how the New Zealand construction industry plans and implements zero carbon buildings. The results show that New Zealand’s construction industry is in the early stage of transiting to a net-zero carbon built environment. Key actions to date are focused on devising a way for the industry to develop and deliver zero carbon building projects. Central and local governments play a leading role in driving zero carbon initiatives. Leading construction firms intend to maximise the carbon reduction in building projects by developing a roadmap to achieve the carbon target by 2050 and rethinking the way of designing and constructing buildings. The research results provide an insight into the initial practices and policy implications for the uptake of zero carbon buildings in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Engaging consultants in green projects: exploring the practice in Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazirah Zainul Abidin ◽  
Nadia Alina Amir Shariffuddin
Keyword(s):  
Green Building ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Direct Selection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Green Development ◽  
Request For Proposal ◽  
Engagement Process ◽  
The Face

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the practice of engaging key project consultants for the development of green projects in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach is adopted in this research using the face-to-face semi-structured interview process with 18 respondents consisting of developers and architects of green projects that have obtained green certification by the Malaysian Green Building Index. Findings The engagement of consultants is divided into three stages: engagement method; consultant selection method; and evaluation process. The engagement method can be initiated by the client or through the architect. The direct selection is the preferred strategy in engaging architects, while open strategy is commonly adopted for engaging other key consultants. The evaluation process consists of request for proposal evaluation and negotiation before appointment is awarded. In addition, there are four main criteria in selecting the consultants: client’s preference, fee flexibility, green project requirement and consultant firm’s internal strengths. Research limitations/implications The study is based on the Malaysian context and based on the engagement of main consultants in green development projects and, thus, cannot be generalised to other consultants’ engagement in conventional projects. Practical implications This research presents the process that can contribute to better planning, controlling and management of the consultants’ engagement process. The selection criteria shall form a reference in selecting the most suitable consultants for the project. Originality/value This study attempts to understand how consultants are engaged in green projects, an important management stage in project initiation, but has received little attention in the past.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE AND THE INFORMAL ECONOMY IN CAMEROON

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 1450024 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHER F. ACHUA ◽  
ROBERT N. LUSSIER
Keyword(s):  
Informal Economy ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Formal Economy ◽  
Curve Effect ◽  
Street Corner ◽  
Do So

There is a growing appreciation for the value and impact of the informal economy on the lives and livelihood of many in developing economies. A key question for researchers has been whether those operating in it do so out of necessity or voluntarily as opportunity seekers? Unlike previous studies that have examined the informal economy as one large block, this paper took a slightly different tangent. First, we analyzed and identified three distinct sub-groups within the informal entrepreneurial sector — the street walker (st. walker), the street corner (st. corner) and store owner (st. owner) — and then examined each group's motives. Reporting the results of face-to-face structured interviews with 200 informal entrepreneurs in Cameroon (West Africa), the finding is that the majority, especially st. walker and st. corner informal entrepreneurs, are predominantly necessity-driven while st. owner entrepreneurs are predominantly opportunity-driven. Our study also revealed a progression pattern whereby st. walkers do progress to st. corner and ultimately to st. owner entrepreneurs. The assumption is that this does create a learning curve effect in the entrepreneurial abilities and effectiveness of store owners. This is an area for future research. There are policy implications for institutional support that can grow the informal economy into the formal economy.

scholarly journals The prospects of green building developing in Ukraine on example of Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Тetiana Kryvomaz ◽  
Justyna Chmielewska ◽  
Tetiana Kanashchuk
Keyword(s):  
Green Building ◽  
Green Buildings ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Investment Climate ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Industrial Buildings ◽  
Building Market ◽  
Green Certification

This study is an analysis of the data and trends observed in green construction in Ukraine and Poland. Ukraine started developing green building in 2011 and Poland begin in 2008, but despite on little chronologic distance, modern situation in construction industry of these countries has dramatic differences. For today Poland is the leader of Eastern Europe green building with 845 certified objects and four new projects on average are registering every week, while less than 10 certificated green buildings present in all Ukraine. BREEAM is the most popular green certification system in Europe and share 76.8% of total green building market in Poland, but also LEED takes significant shares in education and hotel business, all HQE projects relate to housing, and DGNB appear in logistic and retail. The most perspective sustainable tendency in Poland is increasing green building projects in educational, logistic and industrial sectors. It is could be good example for Ukraine, as well as growing green certification of industrial buildings and residential real estate. Evidence is growing that green buildings bring multiple benefits and driving economic growth around the world. For Ukraine the key factors are promote sustainability in major building companies, create a favorable investment climate, and enlist government support to developing green building.

scholarly journals Exploring Relational Ethics and Care: A Longitudinal Study of a Hong Kong Cellist's Marriage Disintegration and Identity Change

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabella Fung
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Marital Conflict ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Relational Ethics ◽  
Identity Change ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Music Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Choice Making

I am a survivor of divorce. When I visited Hong Kong, a mutual friend introduced me to a cellist going through a divorce as a participant for my research which investigates music learning and identity of Chinese musicians. My research took a different path because I decided to explore how she constructed meaning through divorce, leading to her identity change. I referred her to counselling and supported her through regular messaging. Research is more than just data collection; the wounded-healer standing by the wounded is therapeutic for both of us. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this study reports our conversations, including two face-to-face semi-structured interviews and messaging over eighteen months. Four themes emerged about the cellist’s understanding of her marital conflict: an urge for financial security and materialistic pursuit; faith abandonment; prioritizing children’s education and parenthood; and diverging lives. This longitudinal study explored relational ethics, researcher care and research as emancipation. It acknowledged the freedom and choice-making responsibility of the researcher who extended the project boundary to improve the wellbeing of the participant. This is the essence of qualitative research, with unanticipated life-changing consequences that transform the researcher, the participant, and global readers who share a similar experience.

What Teachers Should and Shouldn't Do During Online Teaching

2021 ◽  
pp. 166-186
Author(s):  
Ka Long Roy Chan
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Teachers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Mixed Feeling ◽  
Education In Hong Kong

COVID-19 has influenced teaching all across the globe. The massive use of online learning has created a problem with teachers because of the differences between face-to-face teaching and online teaching. In this chapter, a discussion on how traditional face-to-face teaching differs from online teaching will be shown. How education in Hong Kong is affected by COVID-19 is also summarized. Additionally, the result of a case study in a linguistics course in a university in Hong Kong will be shown to demonstrate the attitudes of students regarding online learning. The mixed-method case study, which consists of survey data of 100 students and semi-structured interviews of eight students, showed that students hold a general mixed feeling towards online learning because of its drawbacks, such as lack of interactions despite the convenience that online learning provides. This chapter ends with a list of suggestions for online teachers.

scholarly journals SUSTAINABLE GREEN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT: SCHEDULE PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVEMENT

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S43-S57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bon-Gang Hwang ◽  
Lay Peng Leong ◽  
Young-Ki Huh
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Green Construction ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Schedule Performance ◽  
And Performance

Over the last few years, the green building movement in Singapore has leaped bountifully. While environmental sustainability for greener construction has been emphasized, rare research has been conducted to analyze performance of green construction projects. As a result, this study aims to address schedule performance of green building construction projects and to provide some recommendations that may improve the targeted performance. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire was developed and the responses from 30 companies were analysed, and interviews with 6 project managers were conducted to further supplement and substantiate the survey results. The analysis reported that green building projects required an average of 8% more time than traditional building projects of similar size and characteristics. In addition, on average, these projects were delayed by 4.8% when compared with their as-planned schedules. Lastly, a list of recommendations was also introduced, aiming to ameliorate the schedule performance. This study will offer a benchmark for the industry to gauge the overall duration and performance of green building construction projects.

scholarly journals EXPLORATION OF CRITICAL EXTERNAL PARTNERS OF ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING/CONSTRUCTION (AEC) FIRMS FOR DELIVERING GREEN BUILDING PROJECTS IN SINGAPORE

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Yuan Li ◽  
Po-Han Chen ◽  
David Ah Seng Chew ◽  
Chee Chong Teo ◽  
Rong Gui Ding
Keyword(s):  
Green Building ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Engineering Construction ◽  
External Resources ◽  
Building Market ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
External Actors ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Green Building involves many parties and has attracted attention recently. In this paper, the main external actors for Green Building were explored based on literature review. Then, a structured questionnaire was developed to facilitate systematic data collection. Finally, a stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied and “clients,” “government,” “qualified/certified materials and products suppliers,” and “good green consultants” were found to be significant external partners of Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) firms for successful delivery of Green Mark certified projects. The research findings will help AEC firms understand how to achieve competitive advantages in the Green Building market in Singapore by using external resources.

scholarly journals International Internet Based Video Conferencing in Distance Education: A Low-Cost Option

10.28945/2451 ◽  
2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme Byrne ◽  
Lorraine Staehr
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Video Conferencing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Business Programs ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Video Conferencing System ◽  
Regional Campus ◽  
Conferencing System

Higher education institutions in Australia are increasingly embracing the Internet as a tool to support academic programs offered in the Asian region. The purpose of this study is to describe a low cost internet-based international video conferencing system and to assess staff attitudes toward its use to deliver lectures and tutorials to Hong Kong. The students are enrolled in undergraduate business programs at a regional campus of an Australian university. The video conferencing system is used to deliver around 50% of the course content with the remainder delivered in “face-to-face” mode requiring the lecturer concerned to travel to Hong Kong. To evaluate the use of the videoconferencing system, semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff involved in the program. The results revealed an overall positive attitude toward the technology itself, but revealed some shortcomings in its effectiveness as a teaching tool.

scholarly journals Analysis of obstacles to green building projects: the experience of Russia and Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 09069
Author(s):  
Mikhail Leontev
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Green Building ◽  
The United States ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Green Construction ◽  
Global Trend ◽  
The World ◽  
Considerable Experience

This paper examines the issues of ecological (green) construction in the framework of the concept of sustainable development - an inevitable global trend. The scale of ecological (green) construction is still limited throughout the world, including in Russia. Green building appeared in Russia much later than in Europe and the United States, where considerable experience has been accumulated in the implementation of such projects. It is necessary to better understand the obstacles to the implementation of green projects in order to find ways and means to overcome them. In this study, 19 obstacles to the implementation of green building projects in Russia were identified. The most important obstacles turned out to be: lack of necessary knowledge and information about green building among construction subjects, higher cost of green building compared to conventional, lack of interest and market demand for green building. The results of this study provide information that is valuable in the design and implementation of green building projects in the future.

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