Sustainable construction and UK legislation and policy

Waddell, H (2008) Sustainable construction and UK legislation and policy. Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law, 161(3), pp. 127-132. ISSN 17514312

Abstract

This paper provides a brief overview of why sustainability has become important and will continue to influence construction and engineering practices. It takes a brief look at current UK legislation and government policy relating to sustainability, future proposed legal reforms and the risks of non-compliance. The paper will highlight the importance of adopting approved practice now. Legal and political reforms will affect the way in which buildings are designed and constructed and will also provide new business opportunities for the construction and engineering industry, so it is important for businesses to plan ahead. Legal and political measures will not be the only factors influencing the sustainable practices of the construction and engineering industry. The paper will also briefly consider other such factors, including corporate social responsibility, market forces, funding and taxation. Although the paper concentrates on measures in the UK, it also notes that the sustainability of buildings is a global issue.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: public policy; sustainability
Index terms: public policy, sustainable construction, compliance, legislation, taxation, corporate social responsibility, funding, government policy, sustainable practice
Subjects: sustainable practices, policy economics, sustainable construction, health safety and environment, public policy, economic analysis, legal systems
Topics: Business Strategy, Governance, Legal Issues, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Regulations & Compliance
Descriptive scope: 2 PC

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