Critical Obstacles to Sustainable Construction: A Multi-Criteria Decision Approach

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study is to identify and prioritize key constraints in green building projects in Pakistan since increasing world attention on sustainable development has put green buildings at the center of development strategies.

Methodology

Identification of barriers was conducted after comprehensive literature review and then prioritization was carried out using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The prioritization of the barriers was done through pair-wise comparisons with the input of practitioners, academics and industry professionals to determine the relativity of the barriers.

Findings

The results indicate that institutional and policy-related barriers including the absence of government incentives and regulations are most important followed by financial and economic barriers including high initial costs to get started and financing difficulties to access more green financing instruments. The other issues that should be mentioned are the market-related challenges, i.e., investor awareness and perception of risks.

Originality

This study is among the first to apply AHP to rank financing constraints for green buildings in Pakistan, providing a methodological and empirical contribution to sustainable construction research in developing economies. It offers a practical tool for prioritizing challenges and guiding strategic policy and investment decisions.