Green Building Practices and Carbon Footprint in South-East, Nigeria.

Abstract

: This study examined the relationship between green building practices and carbon footprint in South-East Nigeria, focusing on six dimensions: energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable material usage, waste diversification, indoor environmental quality, and site sustainability. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design, using structured questionnaires distributed to a sample of 327 respondents drawn from the construction and environmental management sectors in Anambra, Enugu, and Imo States. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with SPSS version 23. The findings revealed that green building practices significantly influenced carbon footprint reduction in the region. Specifically, energy efficiency practice had a positive and significant effect on carbon footprint reduction; water conservation practices also showed a significant influence; sustainable material usage exerted a moderate positive effect, while waste diversification practice contributed significantly. Similarly, indoor environmental quality demonstrated a significant relationship; and site sustainability practice showed the strongest effect. The study concludes that adoption of comprehensive green building practices is vital for achieving sustainable environmental performance and mitigating carbon emissions in South-East Nigeria. It recommends stronger policy enforcement, professional training, and incentives to mainstream sustainability across construction practices in the region.