Key Enablers and Barriers of Solar Paver Technologies for the Advancement of Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

The global initiatives to improve environmental sustainability have centered on reducing energy consumption and developing technological solutions for greener power generation. Current insights on innovations for environmental sustainability are primarily from developed countries, with limited studies originating from developing countries. This study focuses on solar paver technology, a potential innovation for sustainable generation of power. This technology lies in its dual-purpose ability to enable the use of solar roadways that can generate electricity to power other road infrastructure such as electric lights. To maximize the potential of success of deployment of solar pavers, it is important to investigate the practicalities of solar pavers and understand the perceptions of stakeholders that will be responsible for the implementation of solar pavers. This study addresses this gap in knowledge. Thirty construction industry stakeholders in Malaysia were interviewed through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Qualitative analysis identified two main themes and five sub-themes, namely (i) key enablers (motivation, opportunity, and ability); (ii) key barriers (challenges and weaknesses) of solar paver technology. This study provides fresh insights into a new form of sustainable solar paver technology engendering new streams of research in construction engineering and technology management. Implications for management and organizational research are discussed.

Keywords: Sustainable technology, solar paver, qualitative study