Seneviratne, K; Rameezdeen, R and Amaratunga, D (2015) Contractor capacity and waste generation: An empirical investigation. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 20(2), pp. 25-36. ISSN 1823-6499
Abstract
This paper aims to test the hypothesis that an inverse relationship exists between the capacity of a contractor and the amount of waste generated in a construction site. In Sri Lanka, contractors are graded by an independent government agency and this study uses 15 projects undertaken by grade M1 to M5 contractors. M1 contractors constitute the highest grade and they have higher technical, financial and managerial capabilities. These projects are examined to determine cement wastages and link them to these respective grades to clarify their relationship. The major finding is that upper grade contractors, who are more capable, generate less waste compared to their lower grade counterparts. This suggests that contractor capacity not only has desirable outcomes for better time, cost and quality objectives but also benefits the environmental objectives of their clients. While the present grading system in Sri Lanka does not consider waste management, it is suggested that the waste management practices of contractors could vary immensely from the M1 grade to the lower grades. Consequently, future revisions in the grading system should seriously consider incorporating waste management practices to provide an incentive to contractors who appropriately manage their waste. In theory, this will encourage efficient waste reduction practices in construction sites.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction waste; contractor capacity; Sri Lanka; waste reduction |
| Index terms: | contractor capacity, waste generation, Sri Lanka, investigation, construction waste, government agency, construction site, waste management, waste reduction |
| Subjects: | administrative law, sustainability assessment, professional development, Geography, work location, data collection methods, environmental impact, waste management |
| Topics: | Site Management, Legal Issues, Sustainability, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Information Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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