Barriers to Sustainable Construction in Tier-2 Indian Cities: A Case Study of Gwalior

Abstract

Sustainable construction is essential for reducing the environmental impact of urban growth in India. While Tier-1 cities have seen growing adoption of green practices, Tier-2 cities such as Gwalior lag behind due to context-specific challenges. This study investigates the barriers to sustainable construction in Gwalior using quantitative data collected from 123 stakeholders in the construction sector. Five major categories—awareness, regulatory support, material availability, cost perception, and training—were assessed. Regression analysis reveals that training and education (? = 0.301) and awareness (? = 0.263) significantly influence adoption, while cost perception (? = –0.141) negatively impacts it. The findings provide evidence for targeted interventions aimed at improving policy enforcement, professional training, and green supply chain infrastructure in mid-sized cities

Introduction

The construction industry significantly impacts sustainable urban development, especially in rapidly growing countries like India, where it contributes heavily to resource extraction, emissions, and waste. Sustainable construction aims to minimize environmental harm while promoting social and economic benefits through efficient design and operation. Globally, frameworks like LEED and BREEAM and India-specific standards such as ECBC and GRIHA encourage green building practices.

However, adoption in India is uneven—while Tier-1 cities have made progress, Tier-2 cities like Gwalior lag due to barriers including limited awareness, weak regulatory enforcement, poor access to eco-friendly materials, high cost perceptions, and insufficient training. Gwalior’s example illustrates these challenges despite being part of national urban sustainability missions.

This study uses a quantitative survey of 123 construction professionals in Gwalior to evaluate these barriers. Results show high awareness but highlight cost concerns and gaps in material availability and training. Regression analysis identifies training and education as the strongest positive driver of sustainable construction adoption, followed by awareness, regulatory support, and material availability. High cost perception negatively affects adoption.

All five factors—awareness, regulatory support, material availability, cost perception, and training—significantly influence sustainable construction uptake in Gwalior. The findings emphasize the need for targeted capacity building, improved regulations, market development, and cost-effective solutions to promote sustainability in India’s Tier-2 cities.

Conclusion

This study examined the key barriers influencing the adoption of sustainable construction practices in Gwalior, a representative Tier-2 city in India. Through quantitative analysis of responses from 123 construction professionals—including architects, engineers, contractors, and officials—the research identified five critical factors affecting adoption: awareness, regulatory support, material availability, cost perception, and training and education. The findings reveal that while awareness of sustainable construction concepts is relatively high among stakeholders, actual implementation remains limited due to practical and systemic constraints. Among all factors analyzed, lack of training and education emerged as the most significant barrier, highlighting the need for structured capacity-building programs and curriculum integration at professional and academic levels. Awareness was also found to positively influence adoption, suggesting that continued efforts in information dissemination and stakeholder engagement are essential. Conversely, cost perception was the only negative predictor, confirming that the belief that sustainable construction is expensive deters its acceptance, particularly in price-sensitive Tier-2 markets. Inadequate regulatory support and poor material availability further exacerbate the issue, although their influence was found to be comparatively moderate. Overall, the study concludes that overcoming these barriers requires a multi-pronged strategy: enhancing education and training programs, improving regulatory enforcement and incentives, strengthening green material supply chains, and addressing financial misconceptions through awareness campaigns and policy interventions. By tackling these interconnected challenges, cities like Gwalior can significantly accelerate their transition toward environmentally responsible and economically viable construction practices. The framework developed through this research offers a replicable model for assessing and addressing sustainable construction barriers in other Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across India, contributing to broader national and global sustainability goals.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Abhishek Singh Gautam, Gautam Bhadoriya. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.