Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps to Explore Interactions between Factors Impeding Rural Green Housing Development in China

Under the strategy of rural revitalization, China has a considerable demand for building rural green housing, and the self-built mode of rural housing is in favor of green building (GB) development. However, the GB development in rural housing still remains in demonstration phase within recent decades. Current studies of GB development in rural housing has been overlooked. This research fills this gap by exploring the interactions among the factors that hinder the GB development in rural housing via the method of fuzzy cognitive maps (FCM). 15 factors were identified and the interrelationships between factors has been visualized. Six central factors were found as well as a vicious cycle consisting by economic factors, social factors and technological factors. Facilitating the GB development in rural self-built housing needs to break the vicious cycle, which should start with the transmitters, namely policy and regulations, and self-management of housing construction. The effects of related inventions were examined by FCM computation. The utilization of FCM helps to deeply understand how these factors interact with each other, and the results provides a valuable reference to both policy makers and industry practitioners to facilitate the development of rural green housing