Sustainable Construction in Sultanate of Oman: Factors Effecting Materials Utilization

Abstract Due to rapid growth in population and economy in Oman, housing and urban expansion are considered as high priorities for development. Despite attempts for promotion of sustainable building construction in the sultanate, construction industry has not yet embraced the concept in many sectors. Sustainable construction materials, as the major component to enable the construction of sustainable buildings, have not been implemented in most construction projects in Oman. This research aimed to find the main obstacles that prevent the application of sustainable construction materials in Oman. Two main methods of research included review of literature and interviews with experts from construction industry to identify important factors. Questionnaires prepared based on the factors identified from interviews and literature review, were distributed between members of construction industry in various sectors. Results of this survey indicate that according to members of construction industry, factors that are significantly preventing the effective application of sustainable construction materials in the order of impact are: lack of demand and culture of green construction, high costs of sustainable construction materials and lack of knowledge regarding sustainable construction materials.