Title: The drivers and strategies of carbon reduction in projects: perceptions of the Australian construction practitioners

Authors: Peter S.P. Wong; Jason Zapantis; Adam Owczarek; Joseph Spinozzi; Zennan Kefalianos; Matthew Murison

Addresses: School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, 3001 VIC, Australia ' School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, 3001 VIC, Australia ' Watpac Construction (Vic) Pty Ltd Australia, 1/F, 111 Coventry St., Southbank, 3006 VIC, Australia ' Hickory Group Australia, 101, Cremorne St., Richmond, 3121 VIC, Australia ' School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, 3001 VIC, Australia ' Concept Build Pty Ltd, Templestowe Melbourne, 7, Thomas Hardy Drive, Templestowe, 3106 VIC, Australia

Abstract: The construction sector has been experiencing tension to eradicate their carbon-intensive ways of operations. Furthermore, researchers have put forward several strategies to reduce carbon emissions from construction operations. However, the construction sector has not yet changed operational practices. As with any initiative, organisational behaviour can be a major barrier to change. This study sought to investigate how carbon reduction strategies are enacted by construction organisations. Data was collected by a survey conducted in Victoria, Australia. The results indicate that most carbon reduction strategies are rarely adopted in construction projects. Such findings are in line with comments made by some scholars on the construction practitioners being apathetic to reduce carbon emissions. While scholars and policy makers endeavour to advance technologies and tighten regulations, the affordability of the affected industry was unfortunately ignored. Effort should be directed to assisting the industry to formulate costs and benefits as a result of carbon reduction.

Keywords: carbon reduction; behavioural change; construction projects; Australia; construction industry; carbon emissions; CO2; carbon dioxide; environmental pollution; organisational behaviour; costs; benefits.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2015.073142

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2015 Vol.7 No.4, pp.307 - 326

Received: 27 Nov 2012
Accepted: 18 Jun 2013
Published online: 25 Nov 2015 *

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