Triple Bottom Line Drivers of Sustainable Construction Performance in Nigeria: Evidence from Abuja Construction Firms

Abstract

Although sustainability awareness in the construction sector has grown substantially over the last decade, empirical studies that simultaneously test the environmental, social, and economic pillars of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) within a single, statistically validated model remain scarce in the Nigerian context; this study addresses that gap by providing the first integrated, firm-level evidence from Abuja. The growing environmental, social, and economic challenges associated with construction activities have intensified global calls for sustainable construction practices, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria, where implementation remains inconsistent despite increasing awareness. This study examined the determinants of sustainable construction in Nigeria from a Triple Bottom Line perspective, focusing on environmental sustainability (EnvS), social sustainability (SS), and economic sustainability (EcoS) among construction firms operating in Abuja. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was adopted, targeting construction professionals and selected community stakeholders within five purposively selected construction firms. Using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table, a minimum sample size of 240 was established; 240 structured, five-point Likert-scale questionnaires were administered using stratified random sampling, and 221 valid responses (92.1% response rate) were retained for analysis. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 27 using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis at the 0.05 significance level. The regression model was statistically significant, F (3, 217) = 6.142, p < .001, and jointly explained 7.8% of the variance in sustainable construction performance (R² = .078, Adjusted R² = .065). All three dimensions exerted a significant positive influence on sustainable construction performance: environmental sustainability (β = .121, p = .049), social sustainability (β = .097, p = .031), and economic sustainability (β = .134, p = .046), with economic sustainability emerging as the strongest determinant, followed by environmental sustainability, while social sustainability recorded the weakest influence. The results further indicate that sustainable construction practices in Abuja are still unevenly implemented, with greater emphasis placed on economic and environmental dimensions than on social sustainability. The study concludes that achieving sustainable construction in Nigeria requires a balanced integration of the Triple Bottom Line dimensions, supported by stronger institutional enforcement, improved stakeholder engagement, and targeted policy incentives that promote holistic sustainability adoption across the construction sector.