This document discusses the history and strategies of sustainable construction. It begins by describing how environmental protests in the 1990s prompted construction companies like Carillion to address their environmental impacts. Guidelines for sustainable development were then established through initiatives like the Rio Earth Summit and the UK government's strategy. This included objectives around resource use, environmental protection, economic growth, and social progress. Construction strategies were subsequently developed focusing on cost savings, environmental performance over the lifecycle, and social benefits. Business benefits of sustainable construction include reduced costs and risk, improved relationships, and employee motivation. Training and cultural change are important for effective implementation.

1. Strategies for Sustainable
Construction Implementation
By Tantish Kamaruddin
Quantity Surveying Department
UTM Skudai

2. THE STARTING POINT
• In the early 1990s the construction industry
was the target of increasing media scrutiny,
as a result of protests over a number of
controversial road construction projects. In
order to raise the profile of environmental
concerns surrounding the projects,
environmental pressure groups initiated
direct action on sites.
• Some protesters also bought shares in
construction companies to enable them to
attend annual general meetings, and pose
probing environmental questions to senior
board members.

3. • This direct approach highlighted that
environmental concerns about construction
activities were at the forefront of stakeholder
perception, and therefore could genuinely
affect an organization's ‘license to operate’.
• This was the catalyst that initiated Carillion’s
(then operating as Tarmac Construction)
journey towards sustainable development, and
prompted the company to begin to assess and
respond to the environmental impacts of its
operations.

4. • In 1995 the advisory panel produced the company’s first environment
report, which was also the first published for the construction sector.
• It was at this time that environmental issues were introduced to project
management plans and meeting agendas, and the first environmental
advisers were brought into the company.
• One of the early targets was to gain certification to ISO 14001, and the
Crown House Engineering Manufacturing Centre became the first business
in the company to achieve this in 1998.
• It was also the first UK business within the mechanical and electrical
engineering sector to be certified to this internationally recognized
standard

5. Pioneers of Sustainable Development
in Malaysia
• Ken Holdings Sdn Bhd
• SP Setia
• Ecoworld
• Tanarimba
• https://hrmars.com/papers_submitted/6740/
Green_Housing_Development_Is_it_Really_Su
stainable1.pdf

6. THE MOVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY
• Sustainable development was
described by Brundtland as a:
“process that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs”

7. • Brundtland’s definition of sustainable
development is about achieving a
balance between the opportunities
presented by economic growth and
progress and the pressures upon us to
protect natural resources and promote
social equality.
• Therefore, sustainable development is
about minimizing the negative impacts
and, where possible, improving and
enhancing our environment to ensure a
better quality of life for everyone, now
and for generations to come.

8. • The activities of industry and individuals are responsible
for a complex range of economic, environmental and social
impacts, which are often negative.
• For example, the construction industry alone generates 70
million tonnes of waste each year.
• Construction activities can also result in the loss of natural
habitats and, as a consequence, a decrease in biodiversity.

9. • As world leaders began to discuss
sustainability issues and became
aware of the scale of these issues
and associated global impacts, a
World Earth Summit was held in
Rio in 1992.
• The summit raised the profile of
sustainable development to the
international stage, and the UK
Government has responded to
the commitments made at Rio by
developing a Strategy for
Sustainable Development for the
UK entitled “A Better Quality of
Life”.

10. • The Government’s (UK) strategy sets out four key
objectives:
1) Prudent use of natural resources
2) Environmental protection
3) Economic growth and stable levels of
employment
4) Social progress that recognizes the needs of
everyone
UK example

12. http://indicators.chathamhouse.org/changes-specific-aspects-
illegal-logging-last-year-malaysia

13. • In response to these global agreements, sustainability has
been high on Government Agenda. In 1999, the UNFCCC
published a new strategy document; “A better quality of life
– strategy for sustainable development for the United
Kingdom”.
• This report identified four main aims:
1) Social progress which recognises the needs of
everyone;
2) Effective protection of the environment;
3) Prudent use of natural resources; and
4) Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic
growth and employment (DEFRA, 1999).

14. This has evolved for sustainable construction to
represent the following:
• Constructing projects that are more cost-
effective to construct and maintain because
they have been constructed with less and
yield more;
• constructing projects that contribute
positively to their environment using
materials and systems that are easily
replenished and help raise environmental
performance over their full life cycle; &
• Promoting higher standards of living for
people affected by the development.

15. • The strategy for sustainable construction was published in 2000 by the
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions – DETR
(2000a), which followed on from the 1999 priorities. This document set
out ways that the construction industry could contribute to the
achievement of more sustainable development.
• These were:
1) Being more profitable and more competitive;
2) Delivering buildings and structures that provide greater
satisfaction, well-being and value to customers and users;
3) Respecting and treating its stakeholders more fairly;
4) Enhancing and better protecting the natural environment; and
5) Minimizing its impact on the consumption of energy (especially
carbon-based energy) and natural resources.

16. • Prudent use of natural
resources
• Environmental
protection
• Economic growth and
stable levels of
employment
• Social progress that
recognizes the needs of
everyone.
• Constructing projects that are more
cost-effective to construct and
maintain because they have been
constructed with less and yield
more;
• Constructing projects that
contribute positively to their
environment using materials and
systems that are easily replenished
and help raise environmental
performance over their full life
cycle
• Promoting higher standards of
living for people affected by the
development.
Govt Strategies
SC Strategies
* Earlier adoption of SC

17. Pitt et al. 2008

18. Identify social and
environmental
impacts
Reduce cost, use
fewer raw materials
and create less waste,
resulting in savings
Reduce risk and
minimize the risk of
prosecution
Improve relationships
with customers
Improve relationships
with the community
Create more effective
supply chain
management
Achieve greater
employee motivation
BUSINESS BENEFIT OF
SUSTAINABLE
CONSTRUCTION

19. Ideas for actions

20. Du Plessis 2007

21. Du Plessis 2007

24. Conclusions
• The company’s sustainability strategy model has demonstrated that business and
sustainability benefits can be achieved through the use of appropriate key performance
indicators.
• The model can be extended to demonstrate how other business issues, such as supply chain
performance management, are aligned with business objectives while delivering more
sustainable solutions.
• Sustainability is a business differentiator, and has been a key factor in winning work in the
construction-to-services sector.
• Training and awareness in sustainable development presents many opportunities to support
sustainable development programmes.
• An appreciation of the principles of sustainability motivates staff and can help to improve an
organisation through cultural change.
• Sustainability is for all. Appropriate communication and training are required in order to
create the step change that enables benefits to be gained from adopting a more sustainable
approach to the way we work and live.

27. Japan road construction signage
Keeping roadside construction sites safe in Japan

28. Construction site with temporary yellow barracks for
construction workers in Dresden , Germany
luciopix / Alamy Stock Photo

29. Reddit
This Japanese construction site
disguised as a present