Sandaruwan, I P T; Bihara Janardana, J A and Manoharan, K (2024) Job attributes of key Sri Lankan construction professionals in addressing the challenges associated with climate change. International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 15(3), pp. 370-394. ISSN 1759-5916
Abstract
Purpose: Construction professionals are the major contributors to developing a sustainable construction industry, whereas architects, engineers and quantity surveyors are the key construction professionals who must play extraordinary roles in achieving better sustainable construction. Therefore, this study aims to identify the job attributes of key Sri Lankan construction professionals in addressing challenges associated with climate change. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a mixed research approach. A literature review and preliminary semi-structured interviews were used to appraise the job roles of architects, engineers and quantity surveyors in addressing challenges associated with climate change. The data collected through the qualitative approach were used in an online questionnaire survey, and the findings were analysed using the relative index method. Findings: The findings highlight that regardless of the knowledge of the professional category on green rating tools, carbon footprint, adaptation of renewable energies for the reduction of energy consumption, building information modelling-related applications and waste management concepts/practices are the foremost job attributes required for the key Sri Lankan construction professionals in addressing challenges associated with climate change. Research limitations/implications: The results from this study provide a handful of guidance to construction industry professionals, national and international professional institutions, non-governmental organisations and other relevant authorities to address climate change within the built environment by identifying ways for improving the relevant key job attributes of construction industry professionals. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that explores the job attributes of key Sri Lankan construction professionals in addressing the challenges associated with climate change.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | built environment; climate change; construction industry; construction professionals; developing countries; sustainability |
| Index terms: | interview, survey, literature review, methodology, qualitative approach, climate change, construction industry, green rating tool, built environment, quantity surveying, engineer, construction professional, architect, adaptation, building information modelling, energy consumption, carbon footprint, developing country, non-governmental organization, renewable energy, questionnaire, sustainable construction, waste management |
| Subjects: | waste management, sustainable construction, political science, climate science, profession, information systems, development economics, user focus, communication, infrastructure and transport systems, professional development, data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, environmental impact, energy systems, industry analysis, research methods |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Governance, Information Management, Urban Studies, Sustainability, International Construction, Design Practice, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here