Value-adding collaborative design and construct sustainability work practices on increasingly complex AEC projects

Abstract

There is a good amount of research on how collaborative design and <br/>delivery practices, such as design & build, integrated project delivery and <br/>alliances can help in achieving project goals, sustainability among other things. <br/>Although the understanding of these collaborative practices and their advantages <br/>has increased, a large part of construction projects are still conventional, design-<br/>bid-build projects. The industry is fragmented not only when it comes to <br/>separating the design stage from construction, but also when it comes to the <br/>number of subcontractors and suppliers in projects. This situation is not going to <br/>change any time soon, rather it looks the opposite. Construction projects are <br/>becoming more and more complex requiring companies to specify their expertise <br/>to a certain design, manufacturing or installation aspect. This is a discovery and <br/>theory-led case study that explores key problems and opportunities, and <br/>illustrates how theories are applied and adapted, or adopted, in a real-life setting. <br/>The focus is on how a top tier main contracting company in New Zealand is <br/>changing its practices to be more collaborative by involving the design and <br/>construct teams, the client and stakeholders, on a regular workshop basis at the <br/>pre-construction design stages in particular. The research question is “How to <br/>use collaborative design and delivery practices at the preconstruction and <br/>construction stages to achieve a circular economy?” The vision and aim is to <br/>explore-with project examples-alternative insightful design strategies, reduce <br/>waste to land�ill, associated costs, as well as enhancing the environmental <br/>impacts on the community. One of the introduced tools so far is an Environment <br/>in Design (EiD) register, in conjunction with resource sorter training, and <br/>recording all waste data, to achieve the main contractor and key stakeholders’ <br/>sustainability goals.