The construction industry is one of the largest contributors of solid waste in Australia.
Australia’s construction sector generates 30 to 50 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year, mostly from electricity, gas and water utilities, as well as materials used to build assets, such as concrete and steel.
With $300 billion of infrastructure projects in the pipeline, it is important for industry officials to work towards carbon reduction in construction which will drive the development of sustainable and technological innovations in the construction sector.
Addressing climate change is everyone’s responsibility.
Despite this, there is a substantial performance gap between the vision and implementation.
A recent PwC survey reveals that 90 per cent of Australian CEOs have some level of concern about sustainable initiatives in construction.
However, according to the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Megatrends report on the climate crisis, only 33 per cent of projects are delivering improvements for the environment.
Simply wanting to do good is not enough.
Organisations need to move beyond the window dressing of a few token projects to accelerate meaningful action.
Project leaders must harness the passion for positive sustainable social impact with careful and intentional planning.
Driving green construction
To achieve positive social impact, organisations must develop a deliberate strategy and action plan for projects.
Incorporating project management skills and professionals into the construction sector is essential in developing sustainable design strategies leading the way towards green construction.
Project management skills will equip leaders and project practitioners with the tools and know-how to effectively manage stakeholders along the journey and tackle complexities.
One of the important triggers for the construction industry to achieve a clean energy future is the Federal Government’s new funding into the Skilling for Recovery training package to help Australian jobseekers retrain or upskill, and support school leavers entering the workforce for the first time.
Driving collaboration between universities and the industry will help to address skills shortages and incorporate essential project management skills, necessary to drive sustainability in construction.
Making the Australian circular economy a reality
According to a recent report from Deloitte, Australia has a $110 billion infrastructure agenda.
There is a rising need to design infrastructure around the way that societies will work, travel, purchase, use green and blue space and reduce waste in the future.
A circular economy approach is one of the simplest and most effective ways that the construction industry can environmentally transform.
A circular economy is a mode of production that engages reused, repaired, and recycled materials and commodities for as long as possible.
PwC’s Building a more circular Australia report found that integrating a circular approach during the construction process allows for maximum utilisation of building materials, limits the resources used and, most importantly, significantly decreases waste.
It’s no secret that our world has gone through rapid and significant transformation in the last few years and that our environment is changing dramatically.
Hence, it’s important for businesses to understand the significant role that they can play to help create meaningful environmental change.
Building a future of sustainable construction
In order to bridge the gap between technology and communication that can occur with green building projects, three core strategies can help project managers to drive sustainable construction projects:
● Eliminate – The first step is to eliminate waste and pollution during the design phase. This is one of the most fundamental moments where project managers and building companies can introduce a sustainable approach to construction. This includes looking at how long the building and materials will last, what can be created and then reshaped over time and reused, how the building can be deconstructed, if needed, and how the project interacts with the world around it.
● Circulate – The second step is to circulate products and materials. The circular economy via recycling waste products is already active within the construction sector. For instance, a lot of masonry, metals, glass, and timber are already commonly recycled and reused across project sites. Construction companies need to emphasise and integrate this principle more consistently so that it stays top of mind when engaging in new projects.
● Regenerate – The third and final principle is to regenerate nature. To design and build with the consideration of every product and its contents should be at the forefront of the industry. Before starting on a project, project managers should think twice about whether the products and materials that it chooses to utilise have a future for a new purpose when regenerated.
To lead local, national, and global sustainability transformation efforts, the construction industry itself – as well as industry professionals – must transform.
It is very important for the construction industry to start collaborating with universities and incorporate necessary project management skills towards eliminating, circulating and regenerating waste in order to create a positive impact on the environment and drive sustainability through green construction.