Implementation of sustainability in upcoming construction practices in United Kingdom

Dissertation
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Contents
PROPOSED TITLE – “Implementation of sustainability in upcoming construction practices in
United Kingdom”.............................................................................................................................3
Background of the study.........................................................................................................3
Rationale of research..............................................................................................................4
Aim of research......................................................................................................................4
Objectives of research............................................................................................................4
Research questions.................................................................................................................4
Limitations of study................................................................................................................5
Structure of Dissertation.........................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................6
Concept of lack of sustainability in construction and its significance...................................6
Main factors affecting sustainable performance of construction projects..............................6
Impact of sustainability on construction projects...................................................................6
Critical analysis of relationship between productivity and sustainability in construction.....6
Various ways through which a construction organisation can make its construction activities
more sustainable and enhance business growth.....................................................................6
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................6
Research philosophy...............................................................................................................7
Research approach..................................................................................................................7
Research design......................................................................................................................7
Research strategy....................................................................................................................7
Data collection method...........................................................................................................7
Sampling.................................................................................................................................8
Time Horizon..........................................................................................................................8
Ethical considerations...........................................................................................................13
Cost, reliability and validity of study...................................................................................13
DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND FINDINGS......................................................14
Data analysis.........................................................................................................................14
Data Interpretation and findings...........................................................................................14
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................14
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Conclusion............................................................................................................................14
Recommendations................................................................................................................14
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PROPOSED TITLE – “Implementation of sustainability in upcoming
construction practices in United Kingdom”
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
In construction industry, sustainability is the core aspect and it is required to be considered
by organisations while performing construction activities. Sustainable construction develops a
healthy environment which is based on the ecology principles. It emphasizes on six principles -
“conserve, reuse, protect nature, recycle/renew, create high quality and non-toxic.” The practices
associated with sustainable development help in reducing the impact of industry on environment.
Productivity is one among the major issues that organisations are facing. It can decrease
performance, output and profit of the organisation and can also affect the morale of employees
and make the work environment toxic (Araujo, Carneiro, and Palha, 2020). It is very important
for the organisation to understand appropriately the underlying cause of behaviour of employees.
Some of the common causes of declining productivity among employees involves lack of
recognition, no growth opportunities, no work life balance etc. Sustainability and productivity
are highly linked with each other as if the activities associated with construction are sustainable,
then it helps in enhancing the productivity of organisation and leads it towards success.
The main aim of sustainable construction is to decline the impact of industry on
environment and the sustainable construction method involves developing an environmental
friendly and healthy environment, using recyclable and renewable resources, protecting the
natural environment and reducing the consumption of energy and waste (Švajlenka, and
Kozlovská, 2020). The construction industry impacts highly on the environment from usage of
energy to emissions. Apart from this, the potential for developing over wild habitats, the energy
use of the industry is high. In construction, heavy machinery is utilised still leans heavily on the
fossil fuels. Inefficient use of electricity can often outcomes in unnecessary burning of fuels
further decline the supply line of energy. Moreover, the material's fabrication and shipping can
have greater influence on the emission of carbon. This adversely impacts the environment in
which the industry is operating its activities. This investigation is based on title “Implementation
of sustainability in upcoming construction practices in United Kingdom” and it intent to analyse
the impact of sustainability on construction projects (Knoepfel, 2021).
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Rationale of research
This study is based on the title “Implementation of sustainability in upcoming construction
practices in United Kingdom” and it intent to analyse the impact of sustainability on construction
projects. The rationale behind performing this study is that it assists researcher in understanding
concept of sustainability in construction and its significance. It also helps in determining the
factors affecting sustainable performance of construction projects along with examining the
impact of sustainability on construction projects (Hendiani and Bagherpour, 2019). Moreover, it
helps in ascertaining the relationship between productivity and sustainability in construction.
Apart from this, various ways by which an organisation can make its construction activities more
sustainable and enhance business growth are also discussed in the study which enable
organisation to make its construction activities sustainable and enhance its business growth.
Aim of research
The main aim associated with this research study is “To analyse the impact of
sustainability on construction projects.”
Objectives of research
The key objectives in relation to this particular investigation are as follows –
1. To understand the concept of sustainability in construction and its significance.
2. To identify the factors affecting sustainable performance of construction projects.
3. To critically review the impact of sustainability on construction projects.
4. To critically analyse the relationship between productivity and sustainability in
construction.
5. To recommend various ways through which organisation can make its construction
activities more sustainable and enhance business growth.
Research questions
The main questions associated with this particular study are provided below:
1. What is the concept of lack of sustainability in construction and its significance?
2. What are the main factors affecting sustainable performance of construction projects?
3. How sustainability impacts on construction projects?
4. What is the relationship between productivity and sustainability in construction?
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5. Which are the various ways through which organisation can make its construction
activities more sustainable and enhance business growth?
Limitations of study
In the research study, limitations are those characteristics of methodology which impacted
the interpretation of research findings. They are constraints on applications to practice,
generalizability as well as utility of findings that are outcomes of ways in which the researcher
chose to design research study. In relation to this study, there are two main limitations including
cost and time (Opoku, Ayarkwa, and Agyekum, 2019). In order to carry on the investigation, the
time is limited and researcher needs to complete all the activities of the study within the specified
time frame provided for it. Thus, it is one of the limitation of the study that researcher face. In
addition to these limitations, some another limitations involves sample size, lack of reliable data
availability etc. If the sample size of the study is very small, then it is not easy for researcher to
find significant relationship from information. Moreover, if reliable data is not available for the
study, it will limit the scope of analysis or can be an obstacle in finding a meaningful relationship
of the study.
Structure of Dissertation
1. Introduction - In this part, a brief overview of the study along with research aim
objectives and questions are provided. It also includes rationale of the study along with
some limitations of study due to which the outcomes of study may impacted.
2. Literature Review - This section involves review of different literatures in which the
viewpoints of different authors are compared on the themes associated with the topic. It
forms the main part of dissertation in which information from various sources are
gathered so that researcher will be able to draw valid conclusion of study (Afzal, Lim,
and Prasad, 2017).
3. Research Methodology - It consists of different methodologies which help researcher in
performing the research study systematically and accomplish its aim. It is also a crucial
part of study as with the assistance of different methodologies, investigator will be able to
conduct study systematically in proper and structured manner.
4. Data Analysis and Research Findings - In this part, data is analysed and the findings
are discussed which further help researcher to draw conclusion of the study (Lopes,
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Oliveira, and Abreu, 2017). It will be done by using charts and graphs for presenting the
data in clear way so that it can be easily understandable to others.
5. Conclusion and Recommendations - This part provides summary based on the overall
report. It also includes some recommendations which are providing on the basis of
findings of the study to organisation. It is the last part of overall dissertation which
involves summary of entire project.
6. Reflection - In this, the researcher provide reflection on the overall learning acquire by
performing the study along with future implications of the study. Apart from this, it
involves the information about what went well, not well, the learning that researcher
acquired along with the overall contribution that the study made in personal development
of researcher (Akan, Dhavale, and Sarkis, 2017).
LITERATURE REVIEW
It forms out a vital part of a dissertation that facilitates and ensures systematic analysis and
review of secondary form of data to have better understanding about a selected research topic.
Thus, having a proper literature review is essential and vital to set out a base and framework for
further investigation. The current literature review is based on the topic of sustainability within
construction project and its objectives for which a range of online articles and journals are
analysed, an evaluation and description of which is provide as below:
Concept of lack of sustainability in construction and its significance
As per the information provided by the Švajlenka, J. and Kozlovská, M., 2020,
sustainability in construction or building sustainability is mainly related with having construction
through living and maintaining harmony with the natural environment by the way of considering
the environmental, social and economic aspects of the decisions. Thus, the concept of
sustainability development is mainly related with the reducing of the carbon footprint through
making construction decision more environmentally friendly based the eco-system through
ensuring less use and wastage of energy, water and other material which are taken as intensive
for lifestyle. Apart from this, it has been also analysed that maintaining social sustainability is
also important and vital during a construction project as it supports working of construction
industry towards a healthier and safe community that is often connected and inter related with
the environmental and economic endeavours along with maintaining a safe and healthy society
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and community. Apart from this, it has been also analysed that lack of sustainability in
construction is very dangerous and helpful for both the building sector and the society. It has
been observed that the, lack of sustainability would lead to high consumption and misuse of
significant amount natural earth resources especially having high energy consumption. Apart
from the concept of lack of sustainability is also harmful and threating as it leads to and generate
a high amount of pollution along with toxins in environment and waste. Beside this, lack of
sustainability in construction would also create an adverse condition of leading loss of
biodiversity along with higher risk of soil and water pollution. Apart from this, unsustainable
construction also lead to higher interference with the natural life supports systems through over
consumption of natural resources along with disturbing water cycles, soil system as well as
reducing air quality through emission of carbon and other toxic material. Therefore, an analysis
can be made out that having auantbilioty in construction practices has become important and
significant to reduce the chances of environmental pollution along with ensuring optimum
utilisation of natural resources through having a check on their wastage.
With respect to the information provided by the Anastasios Koutsogiannis, (2018), it has
been observed that the adoption of sustainability in construction is significant as it leads to many
environmental, financial and social benefits through ensuring an improved building cycle and
combing he construction utility with a more insightful and effective resource management. It has
been also observed that sustainable form of construction ensures and leads out a smarter and
more suitable alternatives that would improve the efficiency and reduce the rework rate through
green building. Apart from this cost of green building is also than that a normal building as it
involves fewer use if resources and also ensures reduction in wastage while completion of a
project. Therefore, sustainable construction is significant as it leads to greater return on
investment through setting balance with environmental, social and financial aspects along with
enhancing value of properly through implicating sustainable building. One of the most important
and vital significance of sustainability in construction comprises of the fact that it reduces and
minimize the waste as green building lead to lower waste through reduction environmental
impact of construction along with ensuring use of renewable sources and materials.
Main factors affecting sustainable performance of construction projects
As per the view point of Psomas, E., 2021, it has been observed that a range of factors are
involved in construction that affects the sustainable performance of a construction project which
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