Omer, M M; Rahman, R A; Fauzi, M A and Almutairi, S (2025) Key competencies for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials: A competency gap analysis. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 15(3), pp. 699-716. ISSN 2044-124X
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to assess the competency gap among construction industry professionals concerning the competencies required for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials. Accordingly, the study objectives are threefold: to identify key competencies, analyze the disparity between the level of importance and level of competence for each competency, and quantify the criticality of the competency gaps. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and categorize 20 competencies into knowledge, skills, and abilities. The competencies formed the basis for a questionnaire survey distributed to construction industry professionals. 120 valid responses were collected and analyzed using mean and normalized values, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and competency gap analysis. Findings: The findings highlight eight key competencies: ability to prepare sustainable designs, skills in trading construction waste materials, skills in lean construction techniques, skills in designing out waste in construction activities, knowledge of diagnosing construction waste generation, knowledge of construction-related waste design, knowledge of the practice of sustainable facilities management, and knowledge on the sustainable characteristics of construction activities. Despite their importance, critical competency gaps exist among these key competencies and must be addressed. Originality/value: This study equips decision-makers with insights to manage natural resources efficiently, offers practitioners a list of key competencies for sustainable project management, and provides researchers with a solid foundation for further investigations to advance sustainability in construction.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | competencies; competency gap; construction waste; construction waste management; recyclable materials; recycling |
| Index terms: | disparity, systematic literature review, construction industry, facilities management, sustainable design, natural resource, questionnaire, gap analysis, practitioner, construction activity, recycling, sustainable project management, construction waste, lean construction, competence, methodology, survey, investigation |
| Subjects: | environmental resource management, research methods, building construction, performance measurement, practitioner, design process, construction operations, industry analysis, waste management, research evaluation and metrics, health safety and environment, data collection methods, management, social justice, personnel development |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Ethics, Health and Safety, Roles and Professions, Design Practice, Site Management, Human Resources, Sustainability |
| 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