IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i12p5411-d1677070.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Building a Sustainable Future: Tackling Carbon Challenges in Jordan’s Multi-Family Apartments

Author

Listed:
  • Zayed F. Zeadat

    (Faculty of Architecture and Design, Department of Architecture, American University of Madaba, Madaba P.O. Box 2882, Jordan)

Abstract

Focusing on issues related to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), this study aligns with the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study explores the barriers unique to the industry that obstruct the adoption of low-carbon emission solutions in Jordan’s multi-family residential buildings. Multi-family apartments constitute 73% of the total housing stock and account for over 80% of all residential structures. A total of eight main barriers that are preventing the implementation of low-carbon emission techniques were evaluated. The Fuzzy Delphi Method was utilized to gather insights from the Consultancy Council members of the Jordan Housing Investors Association. The results suggest that a major obstacle is the insufficient knowledge among end-users regarding environmental concerns, along with financial limitations, resulting in a lack of enthusiasm for low-carbon multi-family apartments. Moreover, insufficient cooperation between consultants and contractors leads to subpar constructability, which is worsened by the prevailing conventional procurement method that prioritizes cost and schedule above environmental consequences. To further investigate, it is advisable to examine the utilization of contemporary procurement methods, such as Design–Build and Construction Management and modern family contracts such as NEC4 in the housing industry of Jordan. These alternative methods have the potential to solve the current difficulties by promoting more effective and environmentally friendly building practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Zayed F. Zeadat, 2025. "Building a Sustainable Future: Tackling Carbon Challenges in Jordan’s Multi-Family Apartments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:12:p:5411-:d:1677070
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/12/5411/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/12/5411/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nayeon Kim & Kyungtag Lee, 2023. "Environmental Consciousness, Purchase Intention, and Actual Purchase Behavior of Eco-Friendly Products: The Moderating Impact of Situational Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Noushin Islam & Malindu Sandanayake & Shobha Muthukumaran & Dimuth Navaratna, 2024. "Review on Sustainable Construction and Demolition Waste Management—Challenges and Research Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-30, April.
    3. Yingshan Sun & Rui Zhang & Xiaolu Du & Kang Zhao & Xiaotong Qie & Xiaoyi Zhang, 2023. "Does Low-Carbon City Construction Promote Integrated Economic, Energy, and Environmental Development? An Empirical Study Based on the Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-23, November.
    4. Pavithra Ganeshu & Terrence Fernando & Kaushal Keraminiyage, 2023. "Barriers to, and Enablers for, Stakeholder Collaboration in Risk-Sensitive Urban Planning: A Systematised Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-24, March.
    5. Zayed F. Zeadat, 2024. "Implementing Sustainable Construction Practices in the Jordanian Housing Industry," Journal of Sustainable Real Estate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(1), pages 2298554-229, December.
    6. Ahmad Aljboor & Rana Imam & Rami Alawneh, 2023. "Barriers to Achieving Sustainability in Highway Construction Projects: The Case of Jordan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-13, June.
    7. Yichun Xie & Chao Liu & Shujuan Chang & Bin Jiang, 2022. "Urban Sustainability: Integrating Socioeconomic and Environmental Data for Multi-Objective Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, July.
    8. Hamed, Tareq Abu & Bressler, Lindsey, 2019. "Energy security in Israel and Jordan: The role of renewable energy sources," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 378-389.
    9. Antonija Ana Wieser & Marco Scherz & Alexander Passer & Helmuth Kreiner, 2021. "Challenges of a Healthy Built Environment: Air Pollution in Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-29, September.
    10. Roni Rinne & Hüseyin Emre Ilgın & Markku Karjalainen, 2022. "Comparative Study on Life-Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Hybrid, Concrete and Timber Apartment Buildings in Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-24, January.
    11. Shuhua Zhang & Jian Li & Bao Jiang & Tianmiao Guo, 2023. "Government Intervention, Structural Transformation, and Carbon Emissions: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.
    12. Amjad A. Abu-Elsamen & Mamoun N. Akroush & Nermeen A. Asfour & Hana Al Jabali, 2019. "Understanding contextual factors affecting the adoption of energy-efficient household products in Jordan," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(2), pages 314-332, May.
    13. Amjad A. Abu-Elsamen & Mamoun N. Akroush & Nermeen A. Asfour & Hana Al Jabali, 2019. "Understanding contextual factors affecting the adoption of energy-efficient household products in Jordan," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(2), pages 314-332, May.
    14. Murat Gunduz & Mohammed Almuajebh, 2020. "Critical Success Factors for Sustainable Construction Project Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, March.
    15. Ruveyda Komurlu & Dilara Kalkan Ceceloglu & David Arditi, 2024. "Exploring the Barriers to Managing Green Building Construction Projects and Proposed Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-25, June.
    16. Sofia Lingegård & Johanna Alkan Olsson & Anna Kadefors & Stefan Uppenberg, 2021. "Sustainable Public Procurement in Large Infrastructure Projects—Policy Implementation for Carbon Emission Reductions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    17. Ali Karji & Mostafa Namian & Mohammadsoroush Tafazzoli, 2020. "Identifying the Key Barriers to Promote Sustainable Construction in the United States: A Principal Component Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-21, June.
    18. Ali Madadizadeh & Kamran Siddiqui & Amir A. Aliabadi, 2024. "Review: The Economics Landscape for Building Decarbonization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-28, July.
    19. Menoka Bal & David Bryde & Damian Fearon & Edward Ochieng, 2013. "Stakeholder Engagement: Achieving Sustainability in the Construction Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-16, February.
    20. Yujing Wang & Dan Chong & Xun Liu, 2021. "Evaluating the Critical Barriers to Green Construction Technologies Adoption in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-14, June.
    21. Xujie Sun & Xiaocun Zhang, 2024. "Assessment and Driving Factors of Embodied Carbon Emissions in the Construction Sector: Evidence from 2005 to 2021 in Northeast China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-18, July.
    22. Séverine Saintier, 2017. "Community Energy Companies in the UK: A Potential Model for Sustainable Development in “Local” Energy?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-18, July.
    23. Chien-Chi Lin & Chih-Ming Dong, 2023. "Exploring Consumers’ Purchase Intention on Energy-Efficient Home Appliances: Integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior, Perceived Value Theory, and Environmental Awareness," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-16, March.
    24. Zayed F. Zeadat, 2023. "Strategies toward Greater Youth Participation in Jordan’s Urban Policymaking," Journal of Sustainable Real Estate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 2204534-220, December.
    25. Imran Hossain & Maria Fekete-Farkas & Md. Nekmahmud, 2022. "Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances Contribute to Sustainable Energy Consumption in Developing Country: Moral Norms Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    26. Zayed F. Zeadat, 2022. "Urban Green Infrastructure in Jordan: A Perceptive of Hurdles and Challenges," Journal of Sustainable Real Estate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 21-41, December.
    27. Muhammad Ali Musarat & Wesam Salah Alaloul & Nasir Hameed & Dhinaharan R & Abdul Hannan Qureshi & Mohamed Mubarak Abdul Wahab, 2022. "Efficient Construction Waste Management: A Solution through Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 Evaluated by AHP," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    28. Klara Granheimer & Per-Erik Eriksson & Tina Karrbom Gustavsson, 2022. "Adaptability in Public Procurement of Engineering Services Promoting Carbon Reduction: An Organizational Control Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    29. Katarzyna Kreczmańska-Gigol & Tomasz Gigol, 2022. "The Impact of Consumers’ Green Skepticism on the Purchase of Energy-Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Products," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lachlan Curmi & Kumudu Kaushalya Weththasinghe & Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq, 2022. "Global Policy Review on Embodied Flows: Recommendations for Australian Construction Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Basem Al Khatib & Yap Soon Poh & Ahmed El-Shafie, 2018. "Delay Factors in Reconstruction Projects: A Case Study of Mataf Expansion Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Parul Bhyan & Bhavna Shrivastava & Nand Kumar, 2023. "Systematic literature review of life cycle sustainability assessment system for residential buildings: using bibliometric analysis 2000–2020," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(12), pages 13637-13665, December.
    4. Xiaochun Zhao & Xiaodan Nie, 2025. "The Impact of Urban Shrinkage on Carbon Emission Intensity and Its Spatial Spillover Effects," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Yu Cao & Cong Xu & Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman & Nur Mardhiyah Aziz, 2022. "A Systematic Review of Green Building Development in China: Advantages, Challenges and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-29, September.
    6. Jinzhi Zou & Khairul Manami Kamarudin & Jing Liu & Jiaqi Zhang, 2024. "Towards Sustainable Mobility: Determinants of Intention to Purchase Used Electric Vehicles in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Liuwu Chen & Guimei Zhang, 2024. "Research on the impact of digital financial inclusion and environmental regulation on industrial structure upgrading-based on spatial Durbin model analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(11), pages 1-26, November.
    8. Jean Baptiste Habumuremyi & Thomas K Tarus, 2021. "Effect of Stakeholders’ Participation on Sustainability of Community Projects in Ruhango District, Rwanda," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(09), pages 429-433, September.
    9. Francesca Di Cicco & Maike Loos & Isa Vos & Rebecca Gibson & Yuvesveri Naidoo & Susan Gifford & Monique A. M. Smeets, 2024. "The Smell of Sustainability: Understanding Consumers’ Acceptability of Recycled Plastic Packaging with an Off-Odor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-26, June.
    10. Sang-Guk Yum & Kiyoung Son & Seunghyun Son & Ji-Myong Kim, 2020. "Identifying Risk Indicators for Natural Hazard-Related Power Outages as a Component of Risk Assessment: An Analysis Using Power Outage Data from Hurricane Irma," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-15, September.
    11. Krieger, Bastian & Zipperer, Vera, 2022. "Does green public procurement trigger environmental innovations?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    12. Mariana Januário & Ricardo Gomes & Patrícia Baptista & Paulo Ferrão, 2024. "Integrated Energy and Environmental Modeling to Design Cost-Effective Building Solutions at a Regional Level," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-33, November.
    13. Milanzi, Sayeed Aboobakr & Hailu, Henok Asfaw, 2024. "Understanding the impediments to the adoption of sustainable construction technologies in developing countries," Journal of Economic and Social Development, Clinical Journals Press, vol. 11(02), pages 01-11, September.
    14. Fanta Barry & Marie Sawadogo & Maïmouna Bologo (Traoré) & Igor W. K. Ouédraogo & Thomas Dogot, 2021. "Key Barriers to the Adoption of Biomass Gasification in Burkina Faso," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-14, June.
    15. Moahd Alghuson, 2023. "Exploring the Transport Infrastructure Sustainability Performance: An Investigation of the Transportation Projects in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-17, September.
    16. Xuanwei Ning & Yushuang He & Jiayi Zhang & Chengliang Wu & Yang Zhang, 2023. "Analysis of Carbon Emission Projections and Reduction Potential of Resource-Dependent Urban Agglomerations from the Perspective of Multiple Scenarios—A Case Study of Hu-Bao-O-Yu Urban Agglomeration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-25, February.
    17. Shabir Hussain Malik & Weizhong Fu & Samma Faiz Rasool & Gowhar Ahmad Wani & Shah Zaman & Najaf Ali Wani, 2023. "Investigating the Impact of Communication Factors and Stakeholders Engagement on Renewable Energy Projects in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-14, July.
    18. Kamran Khan & Thomas Henschel, 2024. "LCT-Based Framework for the Assessment of Sustainability: From the Perspective of Literature Review," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 1-20, December.
    19. Andri Ottesen & Dieter Thom & Rupali Bhagat & Rola Mourdaa, 2023. "Learning from the Future of Kuwait: Scenarios as a Learning Tool to Build Consensus for Actions Needed to Realize Vision 2035," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-25, April.
    20. Anna Palla & Michele Pezzagno & Ilenia Spadaro & Ruggero Ermini, 2024. "Participatory Approach to Planning Urban Resilience to Climate Change: Brescia, Genoa, and Matera—Three Case Studies from Italy Compared," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-25, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:12:p:5411-:d:1677070. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.