Influence of education and training on sustainable construction adaptive capacity in the construction industry

Abstract

Fostering sustainable building practices is essential to mitigating the environmental impact of human activity. Education and training play a critical role in this effort. However, developing nations have yet to fully adopt sustainable construction strategies. This study investigates how education and training influence the adaptive capacity of Ghana’s construction sector. A quantitative approach was employed, with data collected from 400 participants. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS (version 26), and structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted using AMOS (version 24). The analysis revealed two key latent constructs of education and training: adaptive barriers (ADBs) and implementation awareness (IPA). The findings suggest that enhancing education and training is essential to building adaptive capacity within the industry. The study recommends that government agencies and construction stakeholders implement advocacy programmes and workshops to promote sustainable construction practices among contractors and professionals. The novelty of this research lies in its contribution to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 by proposing a structured pathway for integrating sustainability into construction practices. It uniquely highlights the direct impact of targeted education and training initiatives on adaptive capacity in Ghana’s construction industry.