- Title
- Development of an ecological modernization-based construction waste minimisation framework for the New South Wales construction industry
- Creator
- Al-Hamadani, Sulala
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- The Australian construction industry contributes to environmental damage, and generates large amounts of construction and demolition (C&D) waste that challenges the economy and the environment. C&D waste has the highest average annual growth rate among all waste streams. New South Wales (NSW), the focus of this study, generates the highest amounts of C&D waste. C&D waste in NSW has been continuously increasing and its quantities outweigh other waste streams. To address this problem NSW has sought to increase recycling rates whilst continuing to send waste to landfill. Although the increase in the rate of recycling can be better option than landfilling and contributes to the overall waste reduction, this approach can be considered reactive and curative rather than preventive. As such, it contradicts the literature that prioritizes waste prevention and minimisation. To significantly reduce the economic and environmental impacts of C&D waste, preventing and minimizing C&D waste from construction projects is advocated. This approach is popularly known as construction waste minimisation (CWM). The continuous increase in C&D waste in NSW is linked to the growth of the state construction industry. To reduce this waste and its associated environmental and financial problems, a strategic approach towards CWM is needed. This requires the growth of the construction industry to be delinked from the environmental damage of waste. This is a core tenet of Ecological Modernization theory (EM). EM encourages positive sum relationships between industry growth and the environment. Economic growth can be divorced from environmental damage via technology, institutions, economic imperatives and government policies. The approach adopted in this study is based on conceptualizing the application of EM to significantly minimise the environmental problems of C&D waste in NSW. It develops an ecological modernization-based construction waste minimisation framework (EM-CWM) for the NSW construction industry. The lack of such an existing strategic holistic framework necessitated the development of this strategic framework. This study has six objectives. These are, first, to develop a theoretical framework based on EM literature and its application to CWM. Second, to identify the drivers of applying EM to CWM within the context of the NSW construction industry. Third, to determine the CWM measures that are critical for each of the drivers. Fourth, to investigate the challenges associated with the application of the EM drivers. Fifth, to examine how the challenges to applying EM drivers to CWM can be overcome. Finally, sixth, to develop an (EM-CWM) framework for the NSW construction industry. An EM-based theoretical framework for CWM was conceptualized and developed based initially on literature about EM and CWM. To revise and further develop the EM-CWM framework, qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. A number of statistical methods were used to identify findings from survey data. Based on the critical results of the survey, interviews were conducted and thematically analysed. The drivers for applying EM to CWM within the context of the NSW construction industry were identified from the survey data. The CWM measures critical to each driver were also found, as well as the challenges associated with the application of these drivers. The role of project stakeholders as agents of change was found important to apply EM to CWM. These agents could contribute to the application of EM to CWM by implementing the critical measures to CWM. This could be by engaging project stakeholders with CWM, implementing waste efficient designs, promoting a CWM culture among project stakeholders, supervising onsite CWM practices, pre-qualifying stakeholders based on CWM performance, and demanding CWM as project clients. Related challenges were found to align with their unreconciled views about the environmental and economic interests of CWM, and their weak sense of responsibility towards CWM. Another challenge was that CWM solutions are not prioritized in project design, and another was in relation to the lack of promotion of CWM in industry relations. Difficulties in applying EM to CWM were also related to the lack of CWM policies in company management plans. Company size, cost-benefit assessment, time management and regulation enforcement were found to be major challenges affecting the adoption of CWM policies at a company level. The role of the NSW state and local governments via their CWM-related policies was identified as a vital driver for applying EM to CMW. This role could be enhanced through increasing the impact and implementation of waste levies and SWMMP. EM’s challenges to the government’s role via its waste levy have been associated with the levy’s position as curative legislation rather than waste preventative action. In addition, the management of waste levy revenue is challenged by the unbalanced adoption of ecological and economic rationality in the outcomes of policymaking. EM’s challenge to the SWMMP is associated with a lack of government intervention to enforce its use. To apply EM to CWM through supply chain dynamics, it was revealed that it is critical to reduce waste via CWM supply chain partnerships, on-site materials sorting, reuse and recycling, contractual clauses, financial incentives and penalties, and consideration of CWM in materials procurement. The challenges for this driver include, i) that supply chain dynamics do not signal to stakeholders business opportunities inherent in CWM, and ii) ineffectiveness in transferring CWM responsibilities from governments to industry. Driving the application of EM to CWM via industry trainers could be achieved through CWM training and education. Challenges of this driver were related to a lack of visibility of the environmental and the cost-saving benefits of CWM to project stockholders, and their ineffectiveness in this role to facilitate negotiations of CWM policies. Results showed that technological innovation is an important driver of EM for CMW. This could occur via increased implementation of prefabrication technology and building information modelling (BIM). Challenges for this driver were: i) that prefabrication and BIM are not viewed as compelling cases by project stakeholders, ii) BIM and prefabrication are not considered as the reactive waste treatment options, and iii) the lack of a NSW government mandate of BIM. The challenges of applying EM to CWM were related to the current low implementation of the critical measures to CWM identified via the survey. Results about overcoming the challenges of applying EM drivers to minimise waste were identified via interviews. Informed by EM and CWM literature, and revised based on the results of the survey and interviews, this study developed an EM-based CWM framework for the NSW construction industry. The framework identifies the drivers for applying EM to CWM. It also shows the challenges associated with the application of EM drivers to CWM, and approaches to overcoming these challenges. The adoption of this framework can guide the application of EM to CWM for the NSW construction industry. That is, to decouple construction industry growth from construction waste, and, as a result, enable industry growth to occur without compromising the environment with waste. The framework can potentially contribute to sending less C&D to NSW landfills and reducing the need for C&D waste recycling as well. Therefore, the adoption of this framework represents a positive sum approach for the NSW construction industry via enhanced growth and protection of the state’s environment through waste minimisation. Recommendations are suggested in relation to policy, training, education, research, and project stakeholders. The study concludes by suggesting future research directions.
- Subject
- construction and demolition (C&D) waste; growth of construction industry; ecological modernization theory (EM); Australian construction industry; NSW construction industry; construction waste minimisation (CWM)
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1479335
- Identifier
- uon:50290
- Rights
- Copyright 2021 Sulala Al-Hamadani
- Language
- eng
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