Sustainable Practices in Construction Project Management

Sustainability is becoming very important in construction projects due to growing resource constraints and the need for balance for economic, social, and environmental objectives. The construction sector is regarded as one of the most significant contributors to climate change. Large construction projects are typically complex and also involve many stakeholders, and their cooperation is required to achieve the deliverables ensuring high sustainability.

What is Sustainable Construction Project Management?

Sustainable construction project management means not only creating environmentally-friendly buildings, but it is the combination of using sustainable construction practices and materials to reduce waste and impact on the environment. Sustainable construction is an entire process that needs attention from the design stage to the final product delivery. The main focus of sustainable construction is planning, monitoring, and handling the project so that it is upgraded and ready to face sustainability-related problems based on social, economic, and environmental needs.

Sustainable Construction Management Practices

Following are the practices that can be adopted to enhance the sustainability in construction projects:

Resource Optimization

We need different resources to deliver a construction project successfully. It includes material, manpower, and machinery. If the project manager can deliver the project using the minimum resources, it is considered an essential step toward sustainability. For example, if we need six transit mixers for concrete pouring operations, the project manager opts to omit two of them and still deliver the same scope on the scheduled time. It not only reduces rental costs but a considerable fuel savings is also achieved. Similarly, using efficient laborers to control the wastage of concrete at the site helps in saving construction materials like cement and steel. Typically, around 3% to 5% of materials are wasted on the project during execution.

2. Reducing Reworks

Many firms experience errors in the works during construction. It involves reworks that come with hefty associated costs. Rework is the biggest hindrance to productivity. For example, a foundation is constructed at a location where it was not required due to the surveyor’s error. Such mistakes are avoided using an efficient quality management system. Sustainability can be achieved by avoiding these reworks, which cause a waste of material and energy. Recently, new technology has been introduced in construction by a start-up company (Scaled Robotics) that uses a robot to scan the project sites and compares it with the BIM models. The errors are indicated before proceeding to the next stage, which saves enormous costs.

3. Alternative Construction Methods

The use of alternative construction methods improves sustainability and helps in reducing waste. The most common way for waste reduction is known as prefabricated or offsite construction. Offsite construction is the practice to gather the parts of a structure in a manufacturing site and then to shift them to another location. The prefabricated construction method is far more sustainable than the traditional way because the construction takes place in the factory. It takes less energy than conventional methods of construction.

4. Get rid of the paper blueprints, drawings, and specs.

Sustainable construction companies can replace the use of paper, drawings, and specs by using construction management software (e.g. Fieldwire software). It not only reduces paper waste but also eliminates the chance of using an old revision at the site. Investment in modern technology will help these companies save precious time and money by eliminating the use of paper plans and large files.

5. Material Selection

One of the most important aspects contributing to sustainability is the selection of materials. It includes the use of green materials (green concrete), low VOC paints, water-efficient fixtures, low e-coating halogen-filled glass, and thermal insulations. It makes the building sustainable over the course of its life by reducing energy consumption.

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Conclusion:

Sustainability is vital for the environment and the construction industry. Every firm can play its role by adopting these practices leading to sustainability in construction. It is beneficial for the future of mankind.