Model for sustainability implementation and measurement in construction sites

Abstract

Sustainable practices at construction sites should be considered from the start of the project, meaning during the design phase. A model for the implementation of sustainability at a site is an important management tool, and its adoption can indicate good practices and propose an assessment of local conditions. Thus, the main contribution of this article is to propose a practical model to evaluate the level of implementation of sustainable practices at construction sites. The model was based on sustainability certifications and validated at six construction sites in Brazil. The results indicate that construction companies that possess environmental certifications have better levels of implementation of good practices at their work sites. However, it was noted that it is not necessary for a company to obtain an environmental certification; rather, it is necessary for sustainability strategies to become corporate culture.

Best practices for the rational use of water in construction sites in Brazil

“…The research initially sought a comparison of guidelines and scoring rules for the environmental certification programs to develop a single instrument for the observation of sustainability in construction sites (Zeule, Serra, & Teixeira, 2019 Exhibit 4 shows the parts of the original checklist of the LEED seal that served this research, where the three main questions for the rational use water can be verified: water-efficient landscaping, innovative wastewater technologies, and water use reduction.…”

“…The research initially sought a comparison of guidelines and scoring rules for the environmental certification programs to develop a single instrument for the observation of sustainability in construction sites (Zeule, Serra, & Teixeira, 2019). Thus, a comparative table was made based on the four certifications seals in Brazil: LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation (USGBC, 2009); Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method—BREEAM (BRE, 2009); AQUA‐HQE process, based on the French label HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale) by Foundation Carlos Alberto Vanzolini (FCAV) (FCAV, 2013), and Blue House Seal from the Federal Savings Bank (Caixa Econômica Federal) (CEF, 2010).…”

“…Thus, the documents of the other three certifications seals were consulted to assemble a unique evaluation checklist. The six‐topic checklist developed is (1) sustainable site, (2) rational use of water, (3) rational use of energy, (4) materials and resources, (5) environmental quality, and (6) innovations and processes, based in the LEED structure (Zeule et al., 2019). Exhibit 5 presents the issues that must serve as a guide to verify the sustainability in a construction site, only concerning the item “(2) rational use of water.” The last column corresponds to the classification and questions adopted in the checklist proposed, on which this search is based.…”

“…At the end of checklist completion, the indicator for the final classification of the site is obtained (Zeule et al., 2019). According to Zeule (2014), five levels of classification are proposed, organized according to the best practices implemented, as shown in the table in Exhibit 7 .…”

Sustainability in Construction Projects: A Systematic Literature Review

“…. during the design phase" [71]. Thus, in the context of sustainable construction projects, the design phase could be extended to include project conceptualization and design.…”