Sustainability literacy: the future paradigm for construction education?

Abstract

PurposeThis paper seeks to analyse the hypothesis that sustainability is destined to become the operating paradigm for construction education in the UK.Design/methodology/approachAn international literature review is used to assess the relationship between sustainability and the built environment. The viewpoints of the construction‐related professions are examined by analysing the accreditation policies of key professional bodies and through a survey of public sector‐based UK building professionals. International and national policy initiatives on educating for sustainability are reviewed and a survey of UK universities delivering construction degrees is used to explore the environmental content of construction courses. A brief case study describes recent efforts to systematically embed sustainability within construction education.FindingsThe sustainability agenda and construction are intricately linked. The rationale, therefore, for embedding sustainability within the construction curriculum is powerful. Strong policy drivers for embedding sustainability in the curriculum also exist, but the response from construction educators is thus far patchy. However, the case study demonstrates that integrating sustainability issues within construction courses is readily achievable.Practical implicationsThe findings will influence policy decisions taken by educators and professional bodies seeking to respond to the fast‐developing sustainability agenda.Originality/valueThis research demonstrates the rationale for systematically embedding sustainability within the construction curriculum to the benefit of professionals, professional bodies and educators.

Engaging sustainability good practice within the curriculum design and property portfolio in the Australian higher education sector

“…Case study is a popular research method for sustainability research. Niu et al's (2010) research focused on Tsinghua University in China, Fenner et al's (2005) research focused on Cambridge University in the UK, Murray and Cotgrave's (2007) focused on University of Plymouth in the UK and Muijen (2004) focused on Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The reason for the preference of using case study for sustainability in higher education (SHE) research is because institutional policy and structure has a major impact on SHE implementation.…”

“…The existing literature, such as Dixon et al (2008), Gleeson and Thompson (2007) and Murray and Cotgrave (2007), highlighted that there is a combination of low level of sustainability literacy in the built environment sector and the challenges faced on developing the sector's professionals' sustainability literacy. Therefore, it is important to gain understanding on how to enhance the sustainability literacy of the professionals in the built environment sector, such as those who manage property portfolios for large organisations.…”

“…Murray and Cotgrave (2007) examined the viewpoints of the construction-related professions by analysing the accreditation policies of key professional bodies, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and also conducted a survey with public sector-based UK building professionals to gather their views on incorporation of sustainability within the built environment sector. Murray and Cotgrave (2007) also conducted a survey of UK universities delivering construction degrees to explore the environmental content of construction courses. The research findings of this study showed that the sustainability agenda and construction are intricately linked in the built environment courses in the University of Plymouth.…”

“…Dixon et al (2008)'s research findings highlighted that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) members have a low level of awareness and understanding of sustainable construction, a trend shared by other built environment professionals over the last decade (see CIOB, 2013;Dale, 2007 andRIBA, 2014). Built environment professional organisations have sought to promote sustainable construction within their professional competency framework over the last decade through developing associated CPD programmes for their members (Murray and Cotgrave, 2007). They also established it as an integrated requirement for their accredited degree courses aimed at developing new graduates to be sustainability literate (ibid.).…”

Making sustainability ‘real’: using group‐enquiry to promote education for sustainable development

“…It is suggested that educational programmes for those graduates likely to assume positions as influential gatekeepers for the wider transition to sustainable development, such as teachers, engineers and those involved in various aspects of resource management (hydrology, forestry or land use) require a particular emphasis on sustainability literacy (e.g. Murray and Cotgrave 2007). Professional education in these fields does, however, face a number of competing priorities that include balancing academic achievement with more direct vocational 'training'; satisfying the needs of accrediting bodies with the wider expectation of education institutions and balancing a breadth of curricula content with opportunities for deeper learning and skills development.…”