A relação entre barreiras e desafios para integração da sustentabilidade em projetos de construção

Abstract

The construction and infrastructure industry has a fundamental role in the global economy, being one of the economic pillars and one of the main sources of employment and income in several countries. However, it is also responsible for exploiting natural resources and degrading the environment, with profound social impacts. This has increased pressure from governments and society to adopt more and more sustainable practices in the sector. Despite recent advances, the inclusion of these practices still encounters several barriers and obstacles to become effective. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between the barriers to implementing sustainable projects and challenges to be overcome through action planning. To achieve this objective, a Systematic Literature Review (RSL) was carried out, identifying sustainable practices in construction projects and twelve barriers to their implementation. In a second stage, through semi-structured interviews with professionals from two companies in the construction industry, we sought to understand their perceptions about these barriers and how they could overcome them. The results point to seven challenges for overcoming barriers to the implementation of sustainable practices in construction projects, addressed to project professionals, academia and governments and authorities. As an academic contribution, this study complements the previous literature on construction project management and sustainability, taking a step towards understanding the barriers that hinder the implementation of sustainable practices in these projects. As practical contributions, this study highlights the importance of project teams for managing and engaging stakeholders, also playing a key role in the qualification and training of teams through knowledge creation. Like all research, this study also has limitations. The first is due to the fact that both companies perform consulting activities and, therefore, some of the barriers identified in the literature do not apply to their realities. The second concerns the small number of organizations and professionals interviewed. It is suggested that further case studies be carried out with other organizations in the sector, such as construction companies and contractors. With this, it would be possible to understand the perception of sustainability barriers from different points of view. It is also suggested that, with such results, an instrument is designed to measure these perceptions, through a quantitative survey.