Developing sustainability in the design and construction process

The Design and Construction Process (DCP) shapes the places where people live and work. Developing sustainability within that process needs to address the ability of stakeholders to recognise, and comply, with the limits of the economic, social and environmental interdependencies. This thesis first reviews the relevant literature on sustainability, on the DCP and subsequently defines and identifies the stakeholders within the process. Two main arguments are presented, (a) equity within carrying capacity should be the principal goal of sustainability and, (b) current procurement systems within the DCP fail to deliver sustainability. The findings of the pilot study, (including nine stakeholder interviews) are described which determine contemporary issues for further research. The findings of the survey are used to (a) determine the level of priority for those issues and, (b) to determine the level of importance of each, previously identified, stakeholder group within the DCP and (c) to identify three definitive stakeholder groups for subsequent research (identified as the Client, the Designer and the Quantity Surveyor (QS)). Following the survey, a case study, undertaken over a 30 month period, focused on the involvement of the definitive stakeholders (including seven stakeholder interviews) in a design and construction process for the development of a ‘sustainable’ commercial office building. The final element of research included a series of detailed interviews (24 interviews over the three definitive groups). These interviews included a broad range of individuals across the Construction Industry. Finally, a co-ordinated, holistic analysis of all findings is undertaken in conjunction with the literature reviewed, to develop a series of recommendations aimed at developing sustainability in the design and construction process, the ‘Sustainable Procurement Initiative (SPI).