Müller, C C and Elzomor, M (2025) Fostering a sustainable built environment by preparing a construction engineering workforce with sustainability key performance indicators. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(6): 04025056, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
The built environment is crucial for achieving sustainable development because it accounts for 33% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 40% of energy use, and 30% of natural resource consumption. Sustainable development must consider the triple bottom line and employ measurement methods to track the environmental, social, and economic impacts of construction activities. Sustainability key performance indicators (SKPIs) are crucial metrics for monitoring sustainable development goals (SDGs), aiming to achieve a better, responsible, and more sustainable future for all. As such, educating and training the future construction workforce about sustainability and SKPIs stand as pivotal goals. This study surveyed 85 construction management (CM) students to (1) identify gaps in their knowledge of SKPIs and sustainability; (2) assess the importance of incorporating sustainability topics, including SKPIs, into CM curricula; (3) determine the most effect teaching methods and tools for integrating SKPIs into curricula; and (4) understand the significance of SKPIs for the construction industry (CI) as well as the key indicators to achieve SDGs. This study advocates for a reformed curriculum to bridge the gap in students' sustainability skills. The findings are valuable to the academic community by fostering academic and professional success, as well as to construction stakeholders aiming for a more sustainable built environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | built environment; construction industry; higher education; sustainability; sustainability key performance indicators; sustainable built environment; sustainable development goals; questionnaire survey |
| Index terms: | sustainable development, survey, consumption, measurement method, greenhouse gas, questionnaire, economic impact, construction activity, higher education, natural resource, key performance indicator, key indicator, energy use, construction industry, construction engineering, monitoring, teaching method, sustainable development goal, built environment |
| Subjects: | climate science, consumer economics, construction operations, environmental resource management, health safety and environment, sustainable design, financial analysis, control systems, data collection methods, financial and cost management, project delivery, energy systems, teaching methods, engineering methods, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, educational institutions |
| Topics: | Stakeholder Management, Research Practice, Cost Management, Site Management, Urban Studies, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Health and Safety, Education |
| 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