Green strategy for gaining competitive advantage in housing development: a China study

The promotion of green strategy in housing development has significant contribution to the implementation of sustainable development principles. Why do the housing developers go for green? This paper examines the benefits and barriers in applying green strategies in the process of housing development and facilities management. The examination is conducted from the whole process of developing a housing project, including project plan and design, construction, and operation and management stages. It is considered by the housing developers that the application of certain types of green strategies can help contribute to building up developers’ competitive advantages, such as solar system and optimizing building envelope thermal performance technology. The four case studies suggest that housing developers believe that the application of these green technologies can contribute to reputation gaining, reduction in construction and operation cost, receiving favorable land prices, and more channels available for financing. On the other hand, the major barriers affecting the application of the green strategies in housing development process have also been identified, such as higher cost for green appliance and higher cost in relation to customers’ demand. Data used for analysis are collected from a comprehensive questionnaire survey and four constructive case studies within the Chinese housing development market.