Grosse, H (2024) Exploring heuristics of sustainability: Their use and impact. In: Thomson, C (ed.) Proceedings of 40th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2024, London South Bank University, UK.
Abstract
I investigate how heuristics of sustainability impact how and what we build. Sustainable construction is extensively discussed in research and the public domain. Sustainability comprises environmental, economic, and social aspects, making it difficult to agree on a single-term interpretation. Hence, different heuristics of sustainability are used. In my professional environment in Germany, I seek to explore them using autoethnographic material. I also draw on interviews with construction professionals and laypersons. I aim to identify sustainability heuristics, their use and impact in practice. A dominant heuristic is that sustainability is expensive. This heuristic has an autopoietic character – it reinforces itself. Other heuristics – sustainability is an obligation and is complex and bureaucratic – often reinforce the former heuristic. It can be anticipated that a divide in the construction sector will develop between those who can and will embrace sustainability and those who cannot and will not.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | sustainability; heuristics; autoethnography |
| Index terms: | Germany, construction professional, social aspect, construction sector, heuristic, sustainable construction, interview |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, sociology, professional development, sustainable construction, Geography, data collection methods, risk assessment |
| Topics: | Risk Management, Sustainability, Information Management, Research Practice, Geographical Context |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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