How contractors implement environmentally sustainable building: A study of compliance with environmental requirements across project organizations for municipal construction projects

Abstract

The continuous growth of the building and construction industry contributes to the sector accounting for one-third of all global greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce emissions and achieve more environmental sustainability in construction, environmentally sustainable directives must be followed globally and nationally. Today, clients are imposing increasingly stringent environmental requirements on their projects, posing a challenge for contractors to meet these demands and align the entire project organization towards the same goal. The study aims to investigate how environmental requirements are followed and complied with throughout the process of construction projects, as well as what drives and hinders their successful fulfillment. To investigate this, a case study was conducted in collaboration with Veidekke, focusing on two public projects located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Relevant actors from both projects were interviewed, including subcontractors, suppliers, site managers, and environmental managers. Furthermore, documents from both projects, such as contracts and environmental plans, were analyzed. The study finds that formulation and organizational issues hinder adherence to environmental requirements in the projects. It also highlights inconsistencies and lack of clarity in contract formulation and implementation, emphasizing the necessity of a monitoring system and clear production follow-up procedures, with a focus on leadership. To enhance compliance with environmental requirements in construction projects, contractors must clearly frame environmental standards for their subcontractors and suppliers. Early inclusion could ensure improved integration of the requirements throughout the project. Furthermore, it is advantageous to have a responsible person in the organization who is solely focused on environmental issues to ensure thorough attention already from the procurement phase into the production phase. An individual who is also responsible for monitoring routines and motivating environmental work throughout the project organization.