A Practical Research Process for Developing a Sustainable Built Environment in Emerging Economies

A Practical Research Process for Developing a Sustainable Built Environment in Emerging Economies aims to fill the dearth of practical research guidance and reference material with specific focus on the built environment in developing countries. Global policy agendas such as Agenda 2030 (the SDGs) highlight the importance and growth of research and knowledge from emerging nations who are increasingly contributing to research that is critical for development and advancement. The role of built environment practitioners will continue to evolve by building on the sound foundations laid down by the professions and by exploiting to the full the new technologies available to us through conducting innovative research, but more guidance on the research process is necessary to ensure the integrity and quality of the output.

This book has been structured so that each chapter is largely free-standing, allowing the reader (undergraduate, postgraduate, or practitioner) to reference the material with ease. It aims to provide practical guidance on conducting research and on writing a dissertation or report and begins by considering the general research background in a built environment context. It then covers research ethics, before moving on to discuss the importance of selecting the right research topic and title and writing a clear abstract. The chapters then cover introducing a research project, and the authors include a section on the problem statement, research questions, aims and objectives, research gap(s), and motivations for the study. The book goes on to cover the literature review section, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, the various types of methodological approaches, and when to apply them. The findings section, discussion of the results, and the study’s implications are then discussed, before the final chapters cover the conclusion and recommendations.

The book provides a useful reference for higher education students, graduates, postgraduates, and practitioners engaged in all aspects of construction and built environment research.

Andrew Ebekozien is a senior research associate in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, research fellow in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa and an academic fellow at the School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia. He is also an academic staff in the School of Environmental Studies, Auchi Polytechnic, Nigeria.

Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa is a Professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Wellington Didibhuku Thwala is a Professor at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa.