Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers and Pathways for Uptake

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript investigates the factors influencing the low uptake of green building practices (GBPs) in Tanzania, with a specific focus on stakeholders' knowledge in Dar es Salaam City. The authors successfully addressed four pertinent research questions related to stakeholders' awareness of GBPs, alignment with existing rating systems, triggers, and strategies for enhancing uptake. The study's methodological approach, involving various construction industry stakeholders and employing quantitative methodologies, adds robustness to the findings.

One notable strength of the study is the comprehensive data collection involving 412 questionnaires from diverse construction industry professionals. The utilization of quantitative analysis provides an objective insight into stakeholders' perceptions. The identification of a general consensus on the environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness of green buildings among respondents is a valuable insight that underscores the potential for promoting sustainable building practices in the region.

However, the manuscript could benefit from a more in-depth exploration of the observed discrepancy between stakeholders' rankings of green building design features and their positions in existing rating systems. Providing a nuanced analysis of these disparities would enhance the manuscript's impact and assist in addressing the misconceptions among stakeholders. Additionally, the study might consider exploring potential regional variations within Tanzania that could influence the uptake of GBPs.

The study convincingly argues for the need to increase awareness and education among construction industry stakeholders in Tanzania. To strengthen the manuscript further, it would be beneficial for the authors to propose specific strategies or initiatives to address the identified gaps in understanding. Furthermore, acknowledging potential limitations in the study, such as sampling biases or limitations in the questionnaire survey method, would contribute to a more nuanced interpretation of the results.

The manuscript lays a solid foundation for future research endeavors in promoting green building practices in Tanzania. By addressing the identified areas for improvement and incorporating targeted recommendations, the manuscript can enhance its impact and provide valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers in the field of sustainable construction.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

I found no significant language problems.

Author Response

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to submit a revised draft of our manuscript titled “Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers and Pathways for Uptake” for publication consideration in the Journal of Sustainability. We appreciate the time and efforts you and the reviewers took to provide insightful comments on our manuscript. We are grateful to the reviewers for their insightful observations regarding the paper.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding our revised submission and responding to any further questions or comments you may have.

Thank you for your consideration

Yours, Sincerely

Saul NKINI

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is a very interesting work, I just have a small question. Authors mentioned that their questionaire had a previous version (reference [25]), what is the difference between that version and the one used in this paper?

Author Response

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to submit a revised draft of our manuscript titled “Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers and Pathways for Uptake” for publication consideration in the Journal of Sustainability. We appreciate the time and efforts you and the reviewers took to provide insightful comments on our manuscript. We are grateful to the reviewers for their insightful observations regarding the paper.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding our revised submission and responding to any further questions or comments you may have.

Thank you for your consideration

Yours, Sincerely

Saul NKINI

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors  say that Green Buildings (GB) are essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, but there is no scientific support for their research

The authors talk about the progress of sustainable constructions, but there is no historical projection of reference.

The methodology does not indicate the place of study, it lacks location maps, it only mentions it, in addition, the climatic behavior of the place of study is important, which is not found, it is worth mentioning that to evaluate the concepts of sustainable construction, it requires consideration. climatic, flora and fauna, topographic, and materiality indicators in addition to the implementation of renewable energies

 

Within the results, the authors have analyzed concepts through interviews with the different specialists involved in the process, the results of their analysis show significant results, they should schematize these results according to the findings for a better understanding of the readers.

Author Response

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to submit a revised draft of our manuscript titled “Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers and Pathways for Uptake” for publication consideration in the Journal of Sustainability. We appreciate the time and efforts you and the reviewers took to provide insightful comments on our manuscript. We are grateful to the reviewers for their insightful observations regarding the paper.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding our revised submission and responding to any further questions or comments you may have.

Thank you for your consideration

Yours, Sincerely

Saul NKINI

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper "Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers and Pathways for Uptake" explores the adoption of green building practices in the construction industry in Dar es Salaam. It reveals a consensus on the environmental and cost benefits, but highlights misconceptions and knowledge gaps. The study suggests targeted educational programs, mandatory codes, and certifications to overcome these obstacles and promote sustainable construction.

The authors did an outstanding job in writing this paper, but the following points need to be addressed for full paper acceptance: 

1- It might be necessary to include a wider range of stakeholders, such as those from residents, non-governmental organizations, and government officials. Incorporating these extra perspectives into the sample could yield a more thorough understanding of Tanzania's green building opportunities and challenges.

2- Although the study contrasts regional practices with global standards, a more thorough examination of the reasons behind discrepancies and the strategies employed by other developing nations to close these gaps could provide more useful information. The analysis could be enhanced by case studies or more thorough comparisons with nations that have comparable socioeconomic environments.

3- Ensuring a comprehensive description of the methodology, specifically related to data collection and analysis techniques, would improve the study's replicability. This contains more detailed information about the distribution strategies, statistical tests, and questionnaire design.

 

 

Author Response

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to submit a revised draft of our manuscript titled “Towards More Green Buildings in Tanzania: Knowledge of Stakeholders on Green Building Design Features, Triggers, and Pathways for Uptake” for publication consideration in the Journal of Sustainability. We appreciate the time and efforts you and the reviewers took to provide insightful comments on our manuscript. We are grateful to the reviewers for their insightful observations regarding the paper.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding our revised submission and responding to any further questions or comments you may have.

Thank you for your consideration

Yours, Sincerely

Saul NKINI

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The updated version of the manuscript has been greatly improved. All the best to the authors.