Sustainable building materials utilization in the construction sector and the implications on labour productivity
Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology
ISSN: 1726-0531
Article publication date: 30 October 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The United Nations has demonstrated a commitment to preserving the ecosystem through its 2030 sustainable development goals agenda. One crucial objective of these goals is to promote a healthy ecosystem and discourage practices that harm it. Building materials production significantly contributes to the emissions of greenhouse gases. This poses a threat to the ecosystem and prompts a growing demand for sustainable building materials (SBMs). The purpose of this study is to investigate SBMs to determine their utilization in construction operations and the potential impact their application could have on construction productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review of the existing literature in the field of SBMs was conducted for the study. The search strings used were “sustainable” AND (“building” OR “construction”) AND “materials” AND “productivity”. A total of 146 articles were obtained from the Scopus database and reviewed.
Findings
Bio-based, cementitious and phase change materials were the main categories of SBMs. Materials in these categories have the potential to substantially contribute to sustainability in the construction sector. However, challenges such as availability, cost, expertise, awareness, social acceptance and resistance to innovation must be addressed to promote the increased utilization of SBMs and enhance construction productivity.
Originality/value
Many studies have explored SBMs, but there is a dearth of studies that address productivity in the context of SBMs, which leaves a gap in understanding. This study addresses this gap by drawing on existing studies to determine the potential implications that using SBMs could have on construction productivity.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Tshwane University of Technology for providing the conducive environment that made this research project possible. We also extend our appreciation to the Department of Building Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment for their generous funding support throughout the duration of this study. This funding played a pivotal role in facilitating our research endeavors, enabling us to collect valuable data and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of sustainable building materials and productivity.
Conflict of interest: The authors have no competing interests to declare.
Citation
Adebowale, O.J. and Agumba, J.N. (2023), "Sustainable building materials utilization in the construction sector and the implications on labour productivity", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-04-2023-0164
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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