Critical factors affecting the implementation of sustainable housing in Australia

Improved public awareness of the environment and available technologies will continue to highlight the importance of sustainable housing in the coming years. Despite this potential, the majority of new housing development is still “project homes” with few tangible sustainability measures. Different housing stakeholders tend to have different perceptions and priorities on sustainability. To promote the uptake of sustainable housing products, a study of the multi-dimensional issues affecting the implementation of sustainable housing is necessary. This research investigates multiple factors that influence key stakeholders’ decision-making toward sustainable housing adoption. Drawing insights from combined questionnaire and interview studies, 12 critical factors and their inter-relationships are identified based on professional views in the Australian housing industry. The mutual influences, or driving force and dependency, of these factors are further investigated via interpretive structural modeling to distinguish those requiring prominent and immediate attention. A hierarchical model is developed to help key stakeholders prioritize actions when implementing sustainable housing.