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1. Introduction
When it comes to improving the living standards of people the construction industry is often at the forefront, providing basic infrastructure which is essential for social and economic development. However, infrastructural developments are not without a cost to the natural environment (Tunji-Olayeni et al., 2019a; Musenga and Aigbavboa, 2019; Zolfagharian, 2012; Dixon, 2010 and Du Plessis, 2002). Conventional construction adopts unsustainable production patterns which deplete scarce natural resources such as freshwater and timber. For instance, building construction still depends heavily on freshwater during construction and occupancy stages in spite of the great pressure on freshwater reserves (Hughes, 2019; Cole et al., 2018; UN Water, 2018). Moreover, the continued indiscriminate felling of trees in tropical and boreal forests for construction and other purposes (Bera, 2006) lead to imbalances in the Earth's carbon budget which ultimately contributes to global warming (Le Quéré et al., 2018; Whitehead, 2011). In many countries particularly developing nations, there is an over-dependence of fossil fuel as an alternative source of energy in buildings. The burning of fossil fuel remains one of the leading sources of green house gases (Adzawla et al., 2019; Oyedepo, 2014). Besides, there is a subtle but devastating health risks associated with environmental pollution from fossil fuel. Environmental pollution triggers respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer and other allergies which is a leading cause of death (Kim et al., 2018; Jiang et al., 2016; and Li et al., 2014). Respiratory illnesses also increase disease burden which is an additional cost to government spending on health care.
Even though the construction industry has been accused of being slow to respond to innovations such as sustainable construction (Ercan, 2019; Yusof, 2014; Opoku and Ahmed, 2014; Okae Adow et al., 2013), it has started to adopt sustainable construction to combat the environmental, social and economic issues arising from construction activities. Sustainable construction is simply construction that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically viable. It is the creation and responsible management of a healthy built environment based on the efficient use of resources and ecological principles (Kibert, 1994). In spite of the advantages of sustainable construction, its practice is still not prevalent in many developing countries. More people will benefit...