Barriers and Strategies for Green Building Adoption Among Construction Professionals in Abuja, Nigeria: A Relative Importance Index Approach

This study examined barriers to green building adoption and identified strategies for enhancing implementation among construction professionals in Abuja, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Data were collected from 145 purposively selected construction professionals working in large-scale construction firms within Abuja Municipal Area Council. Descriptive statistics, the Relative Importance Index (RII), and a one-sample t-test were used for data analysis. Findings showed that limited artisanal and professional competence (RII = 0.72) and inadequate knowledge of green building principles (RII = 0.72) were the most critical barriers, while high construction material costs (RII = 0.49) and weak regulatory frameworks (RII = 0.48) ranked among the least important barriers. Public awareness of climate change and global warming emerged as the most effective strategy for promoting green building practices (RII = 0.96). The one-sample t-test showed that respondents rated green building practices significantly above the neutral midpoint (M = 4.00, SD = 0.50, t(144) = 24.08, p < 0.001, 95% CI [3.918, 4.082]). The findings suggest that strengthening professional capacity and public awareness may be more effective than relying solely on regulatory or financial interventions. The study provides context-specific evidence for policy, training, and sustainable construction initiatives in Abuja.