Naa Adjeley Ashiboe-Mensah

294 Pages·2013·1.72 MB·English

PHOTOVOLTAIC ADOPTION IN THE GHANAIAN BUILDING INDUSTRY:
PERCEPTIONS AND RELATIONAL DYNAMICS OF INNOVATION ADOPTION-
DECISION FACTORS
By
Naa Adjeley Ashiboe-Mensah BSc (Hons.)

A Thesis submitted to the Department of Building Technology,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
College of Architecture and Planning

September, 2012

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KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - KUMASI

DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

PHOTOVOLTAIC ADOPTION IN THE GHANAIAN BUILDING INDUSTRY:
PERCEPTIONS AND RELATIONAL DYNAMICS OF INNOVATION ADOPTION-
DECISION FACTORS

Author
Naa Adjeley Ashiboe-Mensah BSc (Hons.)

Supervisors
Rev. Dr. F.D.K. Fugar (PhD MPhil BSc FGhIS MHRS MNIQS MFIG)
Dr. E. Adinyira (PhD BSc)

Doctoral Thesis Submitted to the College of Architecture and Planning in Fulfilment of the
Requirements for the Award of a Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

© Naa Adjeley Ashiboe-Mensah 2012

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the PhD and that, to the best of
my knowledge, it contains no material previously published by another person nor material
which has been accepted for the award of any other degree of the University, except where
due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

ASHIBOE-MENSAH, NAA ADJELEY
(20064609)
........................................................................................ ......................................... ....................................
Student Name & ID Signature Date

Certified by:

REV. DR. F.D.K. FUGAR
........................................................................................ ......................................... ....................................
Lead Supervisor’s Name Signature Date

DR. E. ADINYIRA
......................................................................................... ......................................... ....................................
Co- Supervisor’s Name Signature Date

Certified by:
PROF. J. AYARKWA
................................................................................. ......................................... ....................................
Head of Department’s Name Signature Date

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DEDICATION

“We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more
distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they,
but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”-John Salisbury

This thesis is dedicated to:
Kodjo Adjei Ashiboe-Mensah (my Dad)
and
Mary Emmeline Saah (my Mum)
You have certainly been the giants who have raised me up. You are the greatest example of
God’s unending love to me and I love you both dearly.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others” –Alfred
North Whitehead
I am immensely grateful to my supervisors, Rev Dr. F.D.K. Fugar and Dr. E. Adinyira, and
also to Prof. F. Akuffo for their encouragement, constructive criticisms, useful suggestions,
support and above all for their faith in my abilities.
I am also thankful to all the teaching and non-teaching staff of the Department of Building
Technology (KNUST) for their support throughout my study. To the teaching and non-
teaching staff of the School of Construction Management and Engineering (University of
Reading, UK), especially Prof Will Hughes, Dr Emmanuel Essah and Dr Samuel Laryea, I
say thank you for your support during my academic visit to the University.
A special note of thanks goes to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,
and Ghana Energy Commission for sponsoring this research. My gratitude also goes to all
persons and organisations that supported me or made available useful information for the
research work, especially, the following:
Prof. K.K. Adarkwa (KNUST) Mr. V. A. Ankamah-Lomotey (KNUST)
Prof. J Ayarkwa (KNUST) Mr. Michael Frimpong (Vector Morrison)
Prof. A. Brew-Hammond (KNUST) Mr. Ashitei Ashiboe-Mensah (Ericsson)
Prof. George Ofori (NUS) Mr Adjetey Ashiboe-Mensah
Prof. E.A. Jackson (Jackson Educational Mr. Samuel Asare-Konadu (A-kon Consults
Complex) Ltd.)
Dr. Theophilus Adjei-Kumi (KNUST) Mr J. Nicco-Annan
Dr. Divine Ahadzie Dr. Fawzi Wolley (MD Max Mart/Kwatsons
Dr. V. Kootin-Sanwu (KNUST) Gh. Ltd.)
Dr. M. Adom-Asamoah (KNUST) Ghana Energy Foundation
Mr. J. Ofori-Kuragu ((KNUST) Travel Haus, Kumasi
Mrs Cynthia Asare Mr. J.G.K. Abankwa
Mrs. R. Esubonteng Mr. Kow Egyankor (Giga Rufs Ltd.)
Mr. S. M. Quartey Christine Hobeika
Mr. Tawiah Mr. K. Hohoabu

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Thank you Emmanuel, James, Ralph, Pat, Ama, Amy, Laura, Fieza and all my friends in
Reading, UK, who made it for me, a home away from home.
Patrick, Latoya, Neeyi, Mwinseoro, Akyana, Komi and all my colleagues, thank you.
Finally, I say thank you to you Sena Agbodjah Agyepong and Senyo Yao Doamekpor for
your immeasurable love, support and friendship particularly during the tough moments.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine,
according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory... forever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3: 20 & 21)

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ABSTRACT
In Ghana, where there is a need to decrease demand on the national grid and also increase the
renewable component of the nation’s energy mix, photovoltaics1 seem like a plausible means
of achieving both goals simultaneously especially by incorporating them in new buildings in
urban areas. However, experiences with solar energy technology adoption and diffusion
globally reveal that adoption and diffusion are influenced by a wide variety of factors that
may be social, cultural, economic, technical and institutional; and an appreciation of the
factors that play a role in a given context within which the technologies are to be adopted is
essential to their successful adoption and diffusion. Consequently, an understanding of the
innovation behaviour of potential adopters of this technology is relevant so as to manage the
innovation diffusion process adequately. For this reason, this research identifies and
evaluates the potential factors that may influence photovoltaic adoption in the Ghanaian
building industry. Guided by Rogers’ (1995) diffusion of innovation theory and a framework
by Hartmann et. al., (2006), the research employed both quantitative and qualitative research
methods to achieve the research aim which is to describe and understand the potential factors
that may influence photovoltaic adoption in the Ghanaian building industry. The quantitative
aspect involved the use of a cross-sectional survey of clients, architects, electrical and
mechanical engineers in the Ghanaian building industry. A total of one hundred and thirty-
two valid responses were obtained and the data obtained were analysed using Relative
Importance Indices, Pearson chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, Cramer’s V and Mann-Whitney
U statistical tests. In the qualitative aspect of the study, a holistic multiple case study research
design was employed. The study focussed on three products in the Ghanaian building
industry: prestressed beams and blocks for floor construction, pozzolana cement and asphaltic

1 Photovoltaics are a type of solar technology that generates electricity using sunlight

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shingles. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews. In all, twelve individuals
(clients, consultants and supplier representatives) were interviewed and thematic analysis was
used as the tool for data analysis. In the survey, the worldwide web was identified as the most
prevalently used communication channel and information from consultants/other building
participants was rated as the most reliable channel. The certainty of an innovations future
performance was rated as the most important factor in a decision to adopt or reject it.
Seventy-five percent (75%) of respondents knew about photovoltaics technology and
although there was a generally favourable perception of the technology, actual adoption was
approximately twenty-three percent (23%). The case study revealed that although the
innovation attributes had an important influence on the adoption or rejection on the cases
studied, the extent of influence is dependent on the other factors which relate to the context
and the communication channels used, hence, the context is most relevant in view of the
modulations of the other adoption factors. The major contribution of the study to academia is
that it tests and extends the innovation diffusion theory by applying it within a new context-
the Ghanaian building industry. Furthermore, Hartmann et. al.’s (2006) framework is tested
within a different country and among private rather than public clients thereby focussing on a
social system different from that of Hartmann and his colleagues. Practically, the results of
the study can be used to guide change agents’ promotional efforts through the formulation of
principles discerned from the patterns in the data collected that could guide future action.

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Table of Contents
Content Page
TITLE PAGE i
CERTIFICATION PAGE iii
DEDICATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v
ABSTRACT vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ix
LIST OF TABLES xii
LIST OF FIGURES xiv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xv
GLOSSARY xvii

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Significance of Innovation and Innovation Diffusion
in the Construction Industry 1
1.2 Background to the Study 2
1.3 Research Problem 3
1.4 Purpose Statement 4
1.5 Research Questions 4
1.6 Research Aim 6
1.7 Research Objectives 6
1.8 Scope 7
1.9 Research Method Overview 8
1.9.1 Literature Review 8
1.9.2 Conceptual Framework 8
1.9.3 Quantitative Analysis 9
1.9.4 Qualitative Analysis 9
1.10 Thesis Layout 9

CHAPTER TWO CONTEXT THEORY AND EXISTING KNOWLEDGE
2.1 Context 13
2.1.1 Introduction 13
2.1.2 Energy and Buildings 13
2.1.3 The Origin of Energy Conservation Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy Concerns 14
2.1.4 Energy and Role of Renewable Energy
Technologies 15
2.1.5 Ghana Renewable Energy Policy 17
2.2 Solar Photovoltaic Technologies Costs and Dynamics 20
2.2.1 Introduction 20
2.2.2 Research and Development 20
2.2.3 Solar Photovoltaic Technology 21
2.2.4 The Global Status of Photovoltaic Application 22
2.2.5 Challenges of Photovoltaic Technology 25
2.2.6 Solar Systems and Buildings 27
2.2.7 Prospects for Building Integrated Photovoltaic in

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Ghana 33
2.2.8 The Role of Policy in Energy Efficiency and Clean
Energy Issues 34
2.2.9 The Need for Photovoltaic Adoption and Diffusion
in the Ghanaian Building Industry 37
2.3 Theoretical Framework: Innovation Diffusion 39
2.3.1 Introduction 39
2.3.2 Innovation Diffusion 41
2.3.3 The Elements of Diffusion 42
2.3.4 The Study of Innovation Diffusion 46
2.3.5 The Classical Diffusion Theory 52
2.3.6 The Adoption and Innovation-Decision Processes 55
2.3.7 Hartman et al. Conceptual Framework of Innovation
Adoption 56
2.3.8 Research Gap and Issues to be Investigated 61

CHAPTER THREE THE GHANAIAN BUILDING INDUSTRY
3.1 Introduction 64
3.2 The Ghanaian Construction Industry 64
3.3 The Organisation of the Building Industry 66
3.3.1 Parties Involved in a Building Project 67
3.3.2 Building Project Procurement 70
3.3.3 The Design Process 76
3.4 Building Technologies and Building Materials in Ghana 80
3.4.1 Building Materials 81
3.4.2 Building Technologies 84
3.5 Implications of Ghanaian Building Industry Characteristics
on the study 85

CHAPTER FOUR RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD
4.1 Introduction 87
4.2 Research Philosophy 87
4.3 The Reasoning of the Research 89
4.4 The Research Method 91
4.4.1 Selection of Research Method 92
4.5 Phase 1: Survey Design 94
4.5.1 Questionnaire Design 94
4.5.2 Sampling and Sampling Procedures 96
4.6 Phase 2: Case Study Design 104
4.6.1 Components of the Case Study Design 105
4.7 Research Validation 112
4.7.1 Reliability 112
4.7.2 Validity 113

CHAPTER FIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
5.1 Introduction 117
5.2 Phase 1: Survey Analysis 117

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