Leblanc, H; Thomson, C and Cameron, I (2015) Developing a sustainability KM strategy for HA planned works. Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law, 168(2), pp. 49-65. ISSN 17514304
Abstract
Effective management of sustainability-related knowledge is central to the development of sustainable construction practices. Despite progress in other contexts, existing knowledge management efforts have been of limited value to contexts such as housing association planned works (cyclical replacement of housing components) due to an inability to reflect the specificities of these projects. This paper presents the development of a structured strategy to improve the capture, storage, retrieval and exchange of sustainability-related knowledge within housing association planned works. Knowledge mapping exercises based on semi-structured interviews were carried out within four different sized Scottish housing associations. Sustainability-related knowledge maps were developed for each activity focusing on managerial, economic, social, environmental aspects and overall flow of knowledge providing the basis for recommendations to improve the management of sustainability-related knowledge during planned works. The strategy promotes a structured approach providing housing associations with the opportunity to tailor the strategy to reflect their context and requirements. Practitioners from the case studies confirmed its usefulness especially for housing associations committed to sustainability but struggling to engage with high-level policy and strategies. One case study association has implemented the high-level principles to support its wider sustainability policy and is piloting a strategy for its planned works.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | knowledge management; maintenance & inspection; sustainability |
| Index terms: | housing, sustainable construction practice, interview, case study, inspection, strategy, practitioner, knowledge management, exercise, replacement, housing association, mapping, maps |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, construction type, sustainable construction, professional development, spatial and geospatial analysis, practitioner, institutional client, materials science, management, quality assurance, health behaviours and lifestyles |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Roles and Professions, Health and Safety, Information Management, Research Practice, Construction Technology, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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