Closing the Loop—Collaboration in Sustainable Construction

Owners and Developers

Owners and developers are often the driving force behind sustainable construction projects. However, their level of interest and commitment to sustainability can vary significantly. Budget constraints, disconnects between intentions and actions, and a gap between corporate and project-level goals are some of the barriers that can hinder progress.

To overcome these challenges, it is essential to educate owners about the benefits of sustainability, provide options and feedback, act as a resource for their teams, and demonstrate the financial, environmental, and social outcomes of sustainable practices. Sometimes, the most powerful communication to an owner is simply to point to their aspirations around sustainability and lay out how a particular project fits with those aspirations as planned. Transparency and accountability for the carbon footprint of the project are essential, as contractors can educate owners about the range of possibilities and trade-offs to reduce emissions.

Government and Policy

Regulation and policy play a significant role in driving sustainability in the construction industry. Regions such as the European Union and California have stringent and progressive regulations that require or incentivize sustainability measures. However, there is a need for more standardization and alignment of policies and metrics across different jurisdictions and stakeholders, which would help create a more cohesive approach to sustainability and ensure that all parties are working toward the same goals. To the extent that the construction industry can advocate for these changes, it will benefit by doing so and not just to drive change but to make sure any codified requirements are realistic for the industry.

Architects and Designers

Architects and designers are also instrumental in integrating sustainability goals and metrics at the initial stages of a project. Their level of sustainability knowledge and experience can vary, affecting collaboration and communication with contractors. Some architects are cutting edge, and as an industry, we can learn much from them. Some are more innovative and willing to explore new materials and strategies, while others may stick to familiar practices. It is crucial that designers embed sustainability in the plans and specifications from the beginning to avoid changes, cost overruns, schedule delays, and performance gaps.

Subcontractors and Suppliers

Working with subcontractors, suppliers, material vendors, and fabricators presents its own set of challenges. The availability and sourcing of sustainable materials can be a significant hurdle, and there is often hesitation to try new materials or methods until they are proven effective and safe, which is critically important. However, being overly conservative and, as a result, slow can hinder progress. This is a balance the industry must strike.

Additionally, getting suppliers and fabricators to provide product information—specifically high-quality environmental product declarations (EPDs)—about the sustainability and life cycle impacts of their products, such as recycled content, can be challenging. Regularly asking for this information to normalize this as a practice is one way to drive better access to this information. If suppliers are asked for it regularly, they will certainly figure out how to provide it.

Technology and Innovation

Technology also plays a crucial role in sustainable construction. From enabling sustainable procurement to tracking waste recycling and other metrics on sites, technology has a role to play. However, the overwhelming amount of tech available can make it difficult to know which solutions are useful for an organization and which are not. Construction and tech providers must work together to solve for this.

Challenges that builders and tech providers may solve together include a lack of continuity and integration across platforms, leading to data entry fatigue. The best technologies link up with systems and practices already in place. Standardization in the industry is also lacking, and there are many challenges surrounding the quality and consistency of data inputs and sources and connectivity of the systems.

Tech suppliers need to understand the construction industry better and participate in collecting and uploading information; this is another opportunity for the construction industry to step in and help clarify how our business operates, and adding additional software platforms and clicks to an already busy project manager's or superintendent's day is a sure way to have a tech implementation fail. Tech solutions must fit into construction's existing practices, and they will best learn that from the industry directly.

Insurance and Risk Management

Insurance is another critical aspect of sustainable construction. There is a need for a better understanding of how insurance ties in with sustainability and the challenges that arise. Insurers truly do want to know how they can help—and how they may be hurting builders' progress in sustainability. Engaging with insurers and discussing how insurance can support sustainability efforts is essential but is often overlooked as an opportunity.

There is a general feeling that it is best to tell your insurer as little as possible, but collaboration will lead to a better result for everyone. If construction sustainability managers and risk managers are willing to have these conversations, everyone wins.