Examining the barriers to implementing design for deconstruction in the construction industry of a developing country

Hayford Pittri*, Godawatte Arachchige Gimhan Rathnagee Godawatte, Kofi Agyekum, Edward Botchway, Annabel Dompey, Samuel Oduro, Eric Asamoah

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
189 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose
Despite endeavors to alleviate construction and demolition waste and the indications that the process of deconstruction has the potential to steer waste reduction initiatives, there has not been a progressive increase in the adoption of Design for Deconstruction (DfD) in the global south, especially Ghana. This paper aims to identify and analyze the barriers to implementing DfD in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire survey was used to solicit the views of 240 design professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI). The questionnaire was developed by reviewing pertinent literature and complemented with a pilot review. Data were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics.

Findings
The findings revealed ten (10) significant impediments to implementing DfD within the construction industries in developing economies. These impediments revolve around cost, legal matters, storage, incentive and design-related matters. Key among these barriers is “For recovered materials, there are little performance guarantees,” “The absence of strict regulations regarding design for deconstruction,” “Lack of a large market enough for components that have been recovered,” “The need for building codes that address how to design with reused materials” and “Lack of effective design for deconstruction tools.”

Originality/value
The results of this research shed light on a relatively unexplored area within the construction sector, particularly in a developing country like Ghana. Furthermore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study contributes fresh and supplementary knowledge and perspectives regarding the challenges in implementing DfD practices.
Original languageEnglish
JournalConstruction Innovation: Information, Process, Management
Early online date9 Jan 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 9 Jan 2024

Keywords

  • Barriers
  • Construction and demolition waste
  • Design for deconstruction
  • Design professionals
  • Ghana
  • Wilcoxon signed rank test

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Control and Systems Engineering
  • General Computer Science
  • Building and Construction
  • Architecture
  • Civil and Structural Engineering

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