<p>&nbsp;           <b>TABLE OF CONTENTS&nbsp;</b></p><p>DECLARATION ................................................................................................................................ ii</p><p>&nbsp;ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................... iii&nbsp;</p><p>ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................................. v&nbsp;</p><p>TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................................. vii&nbsp;</p><p>LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................................. x</p><p>&nbsp;LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................................. xi</p><p>&nbsp;DEFINITION OF TERMS................................................................................................................. xii</p><p>&nbsp;ABBREVIATIONS AND MEANING............................................................................................... xiii&nbsp;</p><p>ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION......................................................................................................xiv&nbsp;</p><p>

Chapter ONE

................................................................................................................................1</p><p>&nbsp;1.1 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................1&nbsp;</p><p>1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY.................................................................................................2</p><p>&nbsp;1.3 Problem statement.....................................................................................................................4&nbsp;</p><p>1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH...........................................................................4&nbsp;</p><p>1.4.1 Aim............................................................................................................................................4&nbsp;</p><p>1.4.2 Objectives..................................................................................................................................5&nbsp;</p><p>The objectives of this research are as follows: ..................................................................................5</p><p>&nbsp;1.5 Research questions.....................................................................................................................5&nbsp;</p><p>1.6 Significance of the study ..............................................................................................................5&nbsp;</p><p>1.7 Research methodology and design.............................................................................................6&nbsp;</p><p>1.7.1 Research design ....................................................................................................................6&nbsp;</p><p>1.7.2 Population of the study............................................................................................................7&nbsp;</p><p>1.7.3 Instrument for data collection ................................................................................................7&nbsp;</p><p>1.7.4 Administration of instrument ................................................................................................8&nbsp;</p><p>1.7.5 Techniques of data analysis.................................................................................................8&nbsp;</p><p>1.7.6 Scope and limitation of the study ........................................................................................8&nbsp;</p><p>1.8 Key assumptions ....................................................................................................................8&nbsp;</p><p>1.9 Ethical considerations.............................................................................................................9&nbsp;</p><p>1.10 Thesis structure.......................................................................................................................9&nbsp;</p><p>1.11 Research process ....................................................................................................................9</p><p>&nbsp;1.12 Chapter summary......................................................................................................................10</p><p>&nbsp;2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW...............................................................................................................11</p><p>&nbsp;2.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................11&nbsp;</p><p>2.2 Construction industry .................................................................................................................11&nbsp;</p><p>2.2.1 Construction stakeholders.......................................................................................................13</p><p>&nbsp;2.3 Sustainable development and sustainable housing ...................................................................14</p><p>&nbsp;2.4 Building materials ...............................................................................................................16&nbsp;</p><p>2.4.1 Factors responsible for increase in the cost of building materials......................................17</p><p>&nbsp;2.4.1.2 Building production related factors..................................................................................19&nbsp;</p><p>2.4.1.3 Stakeholder related factors ..............................................................................................21&nbsp;</p><p>2.4.1.4 External factors.................................................................................................................22&nbsp;</p><p>2.5 Construction project consideration ............................................................................................23</p><p>&nbsp;2.5.1 Cost consideration ...............................................................................................................24</p><p>&nbsp;2.5.2 Quality consideration...........................................................................................................25&nbsp;</p><p>2.5.3 Time consideration ..............................................................................................................26&nbsp;</p><p>2.5.4 Human management ...........................................................................................................27&nbsp;</p><p>2.6 Material management ................................................................................................................28</p><p>&nbsp;2.6.1 Materials utilisation and wastage........................................................................................30&nbsp;</p><p>2.6.2 Waste management.............................................................................................................31&nbsp;</p><p>2.6.3 Cost overrun in construction project...................................................................................32&nbsp;</p><p>2.6.4 Time overrun in construction project..................................................................................33&nbsp;</p><p>2.7 EFFECTS OF BUILDING MATERIALS COST ON HOUSING DELIVERY ...............................35</p><p>&nbsp;2.7.1 Fluctuation in cost of construction ......................................................................................35</p><p>&nbsp;2.7.2 Increase in project abandonment........................................................................................36</p><p>&nbsp;2.7.3 Low volume of construction product...................................................................................36&nbsp;</p><p>2.7.4 Poor quality of workmanship...............................................................................................37&nbsp;</p><p>2.7.5 Unemployment of construction workers.............................................................................37&nbsp;</p><p>2.8 Selection of sustainable building materials.............................................................................38</p><p>&nbsp;2. 8.1 Principles of material selection towards sustainable construction ....................................39&nbsp;</p><p>2.8.2 Criteria for selection of sustainable building materials.......................................................41&nbsp;</p><p>2.8.2.1 Resource efficiency ...........................................................................................................42</p><p>&nbsp;2.8.2.2 Energy efficiency ...............................................................................................................42&nbsp;</p><p>2.8.2.3 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) ....................................................................................................43&nbsp;</p><p>2.9 Chapter summary....................................................................................................................44&nbsp;</p><p>

Chapter THREE

...........................................................................................................................45&nbsp;</p><p>RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN................................................................................45</p><p>3.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................45</p><p>&nbsp;3.2 Research philosophies .........................................................................................................45&nbsp;</p><p>3.3 Research methodology ............................................................................................................47&nbsp;</p><p>3.4 Research approach...................................................................................................................51&nbsp;</p><p>3.5 Research strategies...................................................................................................................52&nbsp;</p><p>3.6 Questionnaire development.......................................................................................................54&nbsp;</p><p>3.7 Research design ........................................................................................................................56</p><p>3.8 Validity and reliability of the data................................................................................................62&nbsp;</p><p>3.9 Chapter summary........................................................................................................................63&nbsp;</p><p>

Chapter FOUR

............................................................................................................................65&nbsp;</p><p>4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................65&nbsp;</p><p>4.2 Exploratory study .....................................................................................................................65</p><p>&nbsp;4.3 Questionnaire survey for the main study ..............................................................................65&nbsp;</p><p>4.5 Testing the reliability of the research Instrument.......................................................................71&nbsp;</p><p>4.6 Presentation of findings..............................................................................................................71&nbsp;</p><p>4.7 Discussion of the findings .........................................................................................................81&nbsp;</p><p>4.8 Validity assurance of the quantitative research results ............................................................89&nbsp;</p><p>4.9 Validation of findings.................................................................................................................90&nbsp;</p><p>4.10 Achieving the objectives of the research study...................................................................96</p><p>&nbsp;4.11 Operational framework .......................................................................................................99&nbsp;</p><p>4.12 Chapter summary..................................................................................................................100&nbsp;</p><p>

Chapter FIVE

...........................................................................................................................102&nbsp;</p><p>SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................102&nbsp;</p><p>5.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................102&nbsp;</p><p>5.2 Summary ..............................................................................................................................102&nbsp;</p><p>5.3 Conclusion................................................................................................................................103</p><p>&nbsp;5.4 Limitations..............................................................................................................................104&nbsp;</p><p>5.5 Conclusion and recommendations.........................................................................................105&nbsp;</p><p>5.6 Areas for further study..........................................................................................................107</p><p>&nbsp;REFERENCES............................................................................................................................108&nbsp;</p><p>APPENDICES: APPENDIX A – SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE..........................................................134&nbsp;</p><p>APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.....................................................................................144&nbsp;</p>