Questionnaire on Sustainable Building--Summary of Responses
Miriam Landman, Tufts University

 

VIEWS

15. TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE THE FOLLOWING FACTORS HINDERED PEOPLE IN YOUR PROFESSION FROM REGULARLY INCORPORATING SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES INTO THEIR WORK?

 15a. lack of training/education in sustainable design/construction
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 16 (64%) 7 2 3 0 4 (all)
Minor barrier 9 (36%) 4 2 1 2 (both) 0
Not a barrier 0 0 0 0 0 0

All respondents feel that a lack of training or education in sustainable design/construction is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. The majority of respondents (64%) see this as a "major" barrier.

See comments at the end of #15.

15b. lack of expressed interest from clients (owners/developers)
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 21 (84%) 9 4 (all) 3 2 (both) 3
Minor barrier 4 (16%) 2 0 1 0 1
Not a barrier 0 0 0 0 0 0

All respondents feel that a lack of expressed interest from clients (be they owners or developers) is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. And most respondents (84%)--including all engineers and both developers--see it as a "major" barrier.

Selected comments:

• Major barrier: "client awareness."
• "The only chance for success is with the owner/developer providing full support for sustainable concepts."
• "In some cases, there’s outright resistance to change from large institutional clients."
• "Clients have not been interested in any sustainable features except for energy efficient heat, which could lead to an immediate payback."

15c. lack of interest from others on the project team
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 8 (32%) 3 1 1 0 3
Minor barrier 11 (44%) 5 2 3 1 0
Not a barrier 6 (24%) 3 1 0 1 1

The majority (76%) of respondents feel that a lack of interest in sustainable building on the part of other members of their project teams is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. Of this 76% of respondents, more than half see this as a "minor" (rather than "major") barrier.

 If so, whose lack of interest?

5  Architects (including, specifically, "signature architects selected by institutional clients")
5  Engineers (including, specifically, "MEP engineers")
4  Contractors
3  Building owners
2  Subcontractors (including, specifically, "electricians and plumbers")
2  All parties
1  Financing partners (banks, insurance companies, conduit lenders)
1  Project managers

According to respondents, a lack of interest in sustainable building is a problem among members of all parties on project teams, though architects, engineers, and contractors were named most often as those responsible for exhibiting a lack of interest.

 Comments:

• Major barrier: "lack of interest in anything new by many contractors."
• Major barrier: "traditional infighting between architect and engineers."
• Major barrier: "reluctance to engage in a truly collaborative approach to design: the Green Team vs. traditional linear processes."
• "Also, it seems that traditional attitudes and macho mentalities are major barriers. Architects and Designers (and property owners) are often far too willing to compromise on material choices and space configuration where traditional values are involved, i.e. architectural style, paint colors, perceived ‘low-maintenance’ surfaces, etc."

15d. lack of technical understanding on the part of others on the project team

TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 8 (32%) 2 1 2 0 3
Minor barrier 13 (52%) 7 2 1 2 (both) 1
Not a barrier 4 (16%) 2 1 1 0 0

Most respondents (84%) feel that a lack of technical understanding on the part of others on their project teams is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their profession. The majority of respondents see this as a "minor" barrier.

If so, whose lack of technical understanding?

6  All parties on the project team
4  Engineers (specifically HVAC)
3  Architects
2  Contractors
2  Subcontractors (See next question: 15e.)
1  Construction managers
1  Owners

While all parties on the project team were said to sometimes exhibit a lack of technical understanding of sustainable building methods, engineers and architects were the most cited groups in this regard.

Comments:

    • "We tend to spend a lot of extra time training project participants."
    • "No green building certification is available; this is a problem to be addressed."

 

15e. lack of technical understanding on the part of subcontractors
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 9 (36%) 4 1 1 0 3
Minor barrier 11 (44%) 6 2 1 1 1
Not a barrier 5 (20%) 1 1 2 1 0

Most respondents (80%) feel that a lack of technical understanding on the part of subcontractors is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. Slightly more than half of these respondents see it as "minor" barrier (rather than a "major" barrier). Notably, however, two of the four contractors who responded did not see this as a barrier; and contractors tend to have more contact with subcontractors than any other type of building professional.

Comments:

• "A lack of technical understanding on the part of subcontractors and the Clerk is not a problem if the principles of the design team are on board."
• "The greatest problem with subcontractors is their unwillingness to perform a familiar task differently."

 

15f. lack of technical understanding on the part of the Clerk of the Works

  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 6 (24%) 3 0 0 0 3
Minor barrier 5 (20%) 2 1 2 0 0
Not a barrier 14 (56%) 6 3 2 2 (both) 1

While the majority of respondents (56%) feel that a lack of technical understanding of sustainable building methods on the part of Clerks of the Works is not a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions, one-quarter of respondents see this as a "major" barrier (and one-fifth as a "minor" barrier).

Note: I speculate that this difference of opinion might be partially due to a difference in interpretation. Some respondents may be providing an estimate of the degree to which Clerks lack a technical understanding of sustainable building, while others are indicating whether they think that lack of technical understanding actually serves as a barrier. Judging from the comment below, some respondents may feel that a technical understanding of sustainable building on the part of Clerks is not seen as all that necessary to the implementation of sustainable strategies, if it is assumed that others on the project team do have a technical understanding of sustainable building.

Comment:

• "A lack of technical understanding on the part of subcontractors and the Clerk is not a problem if the principles of the design team are on board."

 

15g. not sure where to go to get information on sustainable building methods
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 3 (12%) 1 0 0 0 2
Minor barrier 8 (32%) 2 3 1 1 1
Not a barrier 14 (56%) 8 1 3 1 1

The majority of respondents (56%)--particularly architects and contractors--do not feel that finding information on sustainable building methods is a problem, though one-third of respondents do see this as a "minor" barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions.

Comments:

• "Future training should focus on helping people understand what they need to know, and where to find it."
• "Sources of information on sustainable building methods are well established (e.g., Environmental Building News, et al.)."
• "When I started researching available materials in '85, there was very little available. Now there is EBN and a host of others."
• "There is an incredible amount of information out there, and we've found in surveys that information overload is more of a problem than too little information, at least for stakeholders interested in sustainability."

 

15h. sustainable building options are too expensive; competitive disadvantage
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 12 (48%) 3 3 2 1 3
Minor barrier 12 (48%) 7 1 2 1 1
Not a barrier 1 (4%) 1 0 0 0 0

All but one respondent--an architect--(96%) feel that the cost of sustainable building options is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. These respondents are divided on just how much of a barrier this is, however. Many of the engineer respondents see it as more of a barrier than do many of the architects.

Note: Again, some of this difference of opinion might be explained by a difference in interpretation. Based on what I have heard from many building professionals, I speculate that some respondents may have been providing an estimate of how much more expensive sustainable building options really are, while others may have been providing an estimate of how much the perception that they are more expensive serves as a barrier.

Comments:

• Major barrier: "The perception that good, sustainable practice is not good economic practice."
• "By far, the #1 barrier remains lack of education about the economic benefits of this approach."
• "Cost is the primary issue and is related to availability. High cost is also due to the unfamiliarity of design team and contractors with sustainable methods."
• Major barrier: "The real increase in first cost, including having to get special materials shipped in."
• "Misconceptions regarding costs have usually precipitated from the "50 stupid things" approach to green design."
• "Future barrier: Some of those who practice "green" oversell it as a panacea to the world’s ills. Sustainability could be so hyped that it cannot live up to expectations. Thus it could lose credibility, just as passive solar lost credibility in the early ‘80s. Example of hype: ‘Sustainable projects do not cost more than others.’ True, if we compare them with inept projects. Not true if we compare them with well-executed traditional projects."

 

15i. difficult to obtain financing from banks for sustainable projects
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 4 (16%) 1 0 0 1 2
Minor barrier 13 (52%) 4 4 (all) 2 1 2
Not a barrier 8 (32%) 6 0 2 0 0

More than half (52%) of respondents feel that difficulty in obtaining financing from banks for sustainable projects is a "minor" barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. However, one-third of respondents (some architects and some contractors) do not see this as a barrier (while one-sixth see it as "major" barrier). Note: Though there is not consensus on this issue, both developer respondents (who are arguably the most familiar with financing) do see this as a barrier.

Comments:

• Major barrier: "Financing partners/lending institutions (banks, insurance companies, conduit lenders) do not place a financial value on sustainable development. The developer/owner must finance such improvements themselves."
• Major barrier: "Most green designers don't understand financing, how to close the first-cost gap on green design."
• "Over the last 5-7 years, considerable progress has been made in promoting sustainable building, with finance and code approvals taking up the laggard positions."
• "Finance is the key; the mainstream world won't do green unless it saves them money somehow. Our company is shifting its focus toward helping projects to make green cheaper, through good green finance."
• "There is no difference in financing between sustainable and conventional practice."

 

15j. recovery of long-term savings not reflected in service fee structure
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 13 (52%) 6 1 1 1 4 (all)
Minor barrier 6 (24%) 2 3 1 0 0
Not a barrier 6 (24%) 3 0 2 1 0

The majority of respondents (76%) feel that the way that fee structures fail to account for long-term savings from sustainable building measures is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. The majority of respondents (including all four sustainable building consultants) see this as a "major" barrier.

Comments:

• Major barrier: "client obsession with first cost."
• "Clients have not been interested in any sustainable features except for energy efficient heat, which could lead to an immediate payback."
• Major barrier: "the costs of improvements benefit the ultimate owner, not the developer."
• "The prevailing concern among architects, clients, and contractors alike is initial cost, not extended cost."
• "The long-term savings issue is absolutely a major barrier to large institutional clients who do not practice life cycle costing."
• "Many government projects are not able to justify increased first cost, despite demonstrable savings later."

 

15k. products not available in my area; lack of "green" materials suppliers
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 8 (32%) 2 3 1 1 1
Minor barrier 9 (36%) 5 0 1 1 3
Not a barrier 8 (32%) 4 1 2 0 0

While the majority (68%) of respondents feel that a lack of sustainable materials/products suppliers in their area is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions, one-third of respondents (mainly architects and contractors) do not see this as a barrier. And those who do are split on just how much of a barrier it is.

Comments:

• "Occasionally a supplier may stock an item only to drop it later due to poor sales. The problem as I see it is that ‘green’ materials and concepts need to be heavily marketed to the end user (home/property owners) who will in turn request or require the use of these products on their job. Leaving the choice up to contractors in most cases is clearly not the way......the up-front cost difference is a clear disincentive."
• "A lack of suppliers (when compared to conventional product supplies) is a problem to some extent, but it can be overcome with some time allowed for procurement."
• "The benefits of ‘green’ materials can be counterbalanced by the need to transport long distances (such as bamboo flooring from China). Support of local economy is a crucial part of sustainability."

 

15 l. insurance/liability problems with offering warranty on non-standard materials or methods
  TOTALS Arch. Eng. Contr. Dev. SB Cons.
Major barrier 6 (24%) 2 1 1 1 1
Minor barrier 9 (36%) 3 1 1 1 3
Not a barrier 10 (40%) 6 2 2 0 0

More than half (60%) of respondents--including all sustainable building consultants and both developers--feel that insurance/liability problems associated with offering a warranty on non-standard materials or methods is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in their professions. However, of that 60% of respondents, more than half see it as only a "minor" barrier. Note: Furthermore, two of the four contractor respondents do not see it as a barrier; and most contractors are arguably more familiar with warranty issues than other building professionals.

Comment:

"Liability is actually greatly decreased due to due diligence related to Indoor Air Quality, etc."

SUMMARY OF #15

Ranking of 12 Barriers to More Widespread Sustainable Building Practice

BARRIERS

% of respondents who consider it a "major" barrier

% of respondents who consider it a barrier
(major or minor)
1. lack of expressed interest from clients (owners/developers) 84 100
2. lack of training/education in sustainable design/construction 64 100
3. recovery of long-term savings not reflected in service fee structure 52 76
4. sustainable building options too expensive 48 96
5. lack of technical understanding on the part of subcontractors 36 80
6. lack of technical understanding on the part of others on the project team 32 84
7. lack of interest from others on the project team 32 76
8. "green" products not available in my area 32 68
9. insurance/liability problems with offering warranty on non-standard materials or methods 24 60
10. lack of technical understanding on the part of the Clerk of the Works 24 44
11. difficult to obtain financing from banks for sustainable projects 16 68
12. not sure where to get information on sustainable building methods 12 44

While ten of the twelve factors were in fact considered by the majority of respondents to be barriers to the increased adoption of sustainable building practices, the group certainly felt that some factors were bigger barriers than others.  According to respondents, the top four "major" barriers are: the lack of expressed interest from clients (owners/developers), the lack of training and education in sustainable design/construction, the failure of service fee structures to account for the recovery of long-term savings, and the higher cost of sustainable building options.  Respondents indicated that the first two factors are particularly significant; all agreed that they are barriers, and the majority consider them to be "major" barriers.  Approximately half of the respondents feel that the third and fourth are "major" barriers.

 

 

15 (continued):
PLEASE ELABORATE ON THE FACTORS THAT YOU MARKED AS MAJOR BARRIERS AND LIST ANY ADDITIONAL BARRIERS HERE:

Selected comments relating to the twelve barriers listed in the questionnaire have been inserted within the appropriate sections above (15a-15l).

Related to the top two barriers cited by respondents (see previous page), several respondents also wrote about the need for more education about what sustainability is all about and why we should strive for it in buildings and in general (not merely technical education and training on the methods of sustainable design and construction). Comments of that nature were as follows:

• "Major barrier: client awareness."
• "The problem as I see it is that "green" materials and concepts need to be heavily marketed to the end user (home/property owners) who will in turn request or require the use of these products on their job. Leaving the choice up to contractors in most cases is clearly not the way......the up-front cost difference is a clear disincentive."
• "Major barrier: Apathy about condition of the planet by most people."
• "Many important stakeholders are not even aware of the concept, and so are naturally resistant to change."
• "In my experience, the greatest barrier is the lack of understanding for the NEED for sustainable design."
• "A major barrier is fighting the inertia of the status quo with a new paradigm of design."
• "The paradigm shift to true sustainability, for instance, will have architects asking their clients: Do you really need to be doing this project, or can you use existing facilities or do without? This kind of thinking is so far afield at the moment from most large-scale project owners, architects, and contractors that the small shops are really the ones worth watching - idealistic owners, architects, and builders who share a common vision about ecology. These people are setting the standard, and it is simply a matter of time before the old ways of doing things become so undesirable as to render them obsolete. By that time, most of the ideas in this survey will have been incorporated into the mainstream, and the idea of building an unsustainable building will make as little sense as the idea of using lead piping to transport potable water does today."
(Peter R. Nobile, III, Architect)

Related comments can be found at the end, under Question #19.

 Other Comments:

• "The major barrier appears to be the lack of a consistently defined definition, approach, and means of evaluating sustainable/ecological design and construction."
• "Future barrier: Some of those who practice ‘green’ oversell it as a panacea to the world’s ills. Sustainability could be so hyped that it cannot live up to expectations. Thus it could lose credibility, just as passive solar lost credibility in the early ‘80s."