Al-Hamadani, S; Egbelakin, T; Sher, W and von Meding, J K (2021) Drivers of applying ecological modernization to construction waste minimization in New South Wales construction industry. Construction Economics and Building, 21(3), pp. 80-104. ISSN 2204-9029
Abstract
The application of ecological modernization (EM) (to delink industry growth from environmental damage) to minimize construction waste has not been explored within the construction industry in general, and the New South Wales (NSW) construction industry in particular. This study seeks to identify the drivers of applying EM to construction waste minimisation (CWM) in the industry. Also, to determine the CWM measures that are critical for each of the drivers. A survey was adopted in this study to target stakeholders engaged in the delivery of construction projects in NSW from design to completion. The survey was selected to reach a large number of respondents within a manageable period. A pilot study was conducted to ensure the reliability of the research design before a full-scale data collection was launched. The data from 240 valid responses was analysed using factor analysis, relative importance index and descriptive statistics. The results revealed five important drivers for EM’s application to CWM. These are agents of change, government policies, supply chain dynamics, skill-building and technological innovations. The CWM measures that are critical for each of these drivers were also identified. The study provides insights into the application of EM to address the construction industry problem of waste generation as by-product of its growth. It also shows the ability to protect the environment while enabling continuous economic growth. Furthermore, it demonstrates the applicability of EM to minimize the construction waste of NSW construction industry.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction waste; ecological modernization; New South Wales; Australia; industry growth |
| Index terms: | minimization, industry growth, relative importance index, waste generation, research design, survey, Australia, construction project, government policy, New South Wales, technological innovation, factor analysis, agent, construction industry, statistics, ecological modernization, chain dynamics, economic growth, construction waste |
| Subjects: | economic development, algorithms, Geography, health safety and environment, production management, industry analysis, statistical analysis, systems engineering, strategic management, risk assessment, data collection methods, research design and methodology, mathematical modelling, waste management, environmental impact, practitioner, public policy, innovation and technology management |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Project Management, Geographical Context, Risk Management, Roles and Professions, Sustainability, Governance, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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