Sustainable construction management practices in a Brazilian medium-sized city

Lima, Selton Fernandes de Sousa; Buligon, Liliane Bonadiman; Zambonato, Bruna; Grigoletti, Giane de Campos

doi:10.1590/s1678-86212021000400572

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ARTIGOS • Ambient. constr. 21 (4) • Oct-Dec 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/s1678-86212021000400572 linkcopy

Sustainable construction management practices in a Brazilian medium-sized city

Práticas sustentáveis de gerenciamento da construção em uma cidade brasileira de médio porte

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The construction industry has a great impact on the environment worldwide. The diffusion of sustainability concepts has led the industry to improve environmental performance in building projects. This paper aims to identify sustainable practicesadopted by managers in the construction industryin a medium-sized city in Brazil. An online surveywith17 questions regarding knowledgeand application of environmental sustainability strategies in project design and construction management was applied to managersin the industry. The sample considered 20 construction companies, members of the city’s Civil Construction Union. Results show that, despite being aware of sustainability principles and their importance, only 30% of the companies apply at least one strategy related to waste management, waste production, sound, visual, water and soil pollution and energy and water consumption. This paper may contribute to the development of strategies to encourage sustainability in the construction sector.

Keywords:
Práticas sustentáveis; Gerenciamento da construção; Estratégias sustentáveis

Variable	Number	Percentage
Organization
Construction Company	14	70
Engineering and/or architecture office	6	30
Size of Organization (according to staff)
< 9	6	30
10 - 49	9	45
50 - 99	2	10
>100	3	15
Organization’s experience (years)
< 5	4	20
6 - 10	3	15
11 - 20	7	35
21 - 30	4	20
> 30	2	10
Projects in progress
< 2	6	30
3 - 5	3	15
6 - 10	8	40
> 10	3	15

Green Rating System	Number	Percentage
LEED	11	55
AQUA	7	35
Selo Casa Azul	11	55
PBE Edifica	8	40

Question	Answer	Number	Percentage
Are construction management and the company’s decisions made according to any sustainability principle?	Yes	15	75
	No	5	25
Is employee training and professional development in environmental sustainability encouraged?	Yes	7	35
	No	13	65
Do discussions on environmental sustainability take place in the company?	Yes	10	50
	No	10	50

Strategy	Number	Percentage
Waste management
Waste separation to optimize waste reuse and recycling	13	65
Reuse of formworks and props on the construction site	13	65
Special procedures for handling and disposal of toxic substances	10	50
Reuse and recycling of on-site generated waste	8	40
Identification, qualification, and quantification of the waste	6	30
Commitment of employees working on the construction site	6	30
Appointment of a person responsible for waste management or inspection	5	25
Operational control (forms, weighing certificates, counting containers)	4	20
None	3	15
Waste production
Project compatibility	13	65
Modulation of construction components to prevent losses	11	55
Standardization of formworks to avoid waste of wood	11	55
Choice of products and systems that produce less waste	11	55
Packing of waste in appropriate containers	11	55
Waste management plan integrated with the construction site plan	4	20
Use of sustainable materials to reuse or recycle in the construction	2	10
None	1	5
Sound pollution
Planning tasks to minimize disturbance in the neighborhood	7	35
Choice of materials and machines to reduce acoustic disturbance	6	30
Positioning fixed or noisy devices to avoid noise reverberation	3	15
Planning a vehicle traffic schedule at the construction site	1	5
None	9	45
Visual pollution
Constant maintenance of sidings on the construction site	15	75
Conservation and protection of existing green areas during work	7	35
Limitation of areas in the waste production and storage sectors	6	30
Soil irrigation and installation of equipment or system to reduce dust	4	20
Paving stones from the construction site pathways	3	15
None	3	15
Water and soil pollution
Sewage treatment and correct disposal	13	65
Preservation of existing watercourses	12	60
No release of polluting residues in sanitation networks	10	50
Specific and well-marked storage for potentially polluting products	5	25
No burial of waste on site	5	25
Signaling tanks, vats, and pumps according to their contents	2	10
Installation of recovery and treatment systems for polluting effluents	2	10
None	2	10
Energy consumption
Monitoring electricity consumption	9	45
Adoption of corrective measures to avoid waste	9	45
Choice for materials and machines that consume less energy	7	35
None	4	20
Water consumption
Adoption of corrective measures to avoid waste	11	55
Monitoring water consumption	9	45
Collection of rainwater to wash the construction site	9	45
Reduction in water consumption in the quarters of the construction site	5	25
Choice for materials and machines that consume less water	3	15
None	3	15

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Associação Nacional de Tecnologia do Ambiente Construído - ANTAC Av. Osvaldo Aranha, 93, 3º andar, 90035-190 Porto Alegre/RS Brasil, Tel.: (55 51) 3308-4084, Fax: (55 51) 3308-4054 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil
E-mail: ambienteconstruido@ufrgs.br

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