Barriers To Green Building Strategies Implementation in Lagos Nigeria

Despite growing awareness of sustainable design, the implementation of Green Building Design Strategies (GBDS) in Lagos remains constrained. This study investigates the key barriers hindering effective GBDS adoption in high-rise office projects and proposes a policy roadmap to strengthen sustainable architectural practice. A mixed-methods approach was adopted involving 344 architects and 12 expert interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Relative Importance Index (RII), while qualitative themes were developed through content analysis. Findings revealed that technological and cost-related barriers had the strongest influence on implementation outcomes. Low RII values for strategies such as smart building management (0.70) and greywater recycling reflected substantial technical and financial constraints. Regulatory weakness and limited client awareness further contributed to uneven adoption. The major barriers identified include: high capital cost of advanced systems; inadequate technical expertise; weak regulatory enforcement; low client demand; and insufficient policy support for sustainable construction. These barriers collectively explain the dominance of passive strategies over technological ones in Lagos’ high-rise architecture. Interview evidence indicates that architects often avoid proposing complex GBDS due to concerns over maintenance feasibility and client resistance. The study proposes a three-tier policy roadmap focusing on: strengthening professional capacity; enhancing regulatory mechanisms; and introducing market and financial incentives. These measures could accelerate GBDS integration in Lagos and similar African cities. This research provides mixed-methods assessments of GBDS implementation barriers in Lagos using a large professional sample. The combined empirical and policy-oriented approach offers a robust framework for enhancing sustainable high-rise design practices in developing urban contexts.