The green building paradox: challenges to sustainability in the built environment

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the complex challenges to sustainability in the built environment and uncover their interlinked causal relationships. This study applies grey influence network analysis (GINA) and its novel interpretative extension (iGINA) to model, quantify and prioritise the interrelationships among barriers using expert judgements. The iGINA analysis revealed misaligned stakeholder incentives as the most influential barrier, followed by high initial cost, while technological readiness ranked lowest, challenging tech-centric assumptions. Expert-driven data limits generalisability, but advances grey systems theory for uncertain, large-scale networks. This study prioritises realigning incentives via performance-based contracts, green bonds, life cycle costing and regulatory sandboxes − breaking economic barriers for scalable green adoption. iGINA uncovers feedback loops and leverage points overlooked by traditional methods, offering a blueprint for managers, policymakers and researchers.