Gaia Theory—the earth in its totality is very much a living entity. It is alive, it is fragile, and everything that is in it preserves a complex balance with everything else in a state of mutually beneficial equilibrium Humankind’s current disharmonious behavior is affecting this careful balance; there is a growing feeling that it must be changed radically and soon, if life on earth is to continue and flourish.
John Lovelock (1979)
British chemist and environmentalist (Winchester 2005, p. 4)
1.1 IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING SUSTAINABILITY IN ENGINEERING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS
Sustainability in engineering design and construction operations is a significant twenty-first-century topic. In addition to first costs, clients are focusing on facility life-cycle costs and facilities where they are able to measure the benefits of green design and construction. Clients are including specific sustainability performance targets in requests for proposals, and this requires design professionals to know how to measure and quantify sustainable performance When engineers and constructors provide suggestions to clients on incorporating sustainable practices early on during the design phase, it helps contribute to the success of sustainable designs.
Rather than merely evaluating buildings or other structures using a sustainability checklist, members of the engineering and construction (E&C) industry are moving toward performance-based evaluations to measure and track performance. This requires sustainability metrics that include scientific and administrative rigor for the evaluation of the carbon footprint of structures. The International Green Construction Code was released in 2012, and it is affecting sustainability certifications as municipalities throughout the United States adopt it. The code may motivate more clients to seek the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System or similar certifications for owners to demonstrate their compliance to the International Green Construction Code.
This chapter discusses sustainability in engineering design and construction operations from a historical perspective and includes insights about the incorporation of sustainable practices into projects. It explains the concepts of sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, the Dow Jones Sustainability Group Index, key performance indicators, corporate sustainability, and the triple bottom line. It also explores why members of the E&C industry are implementing sustainable practices and adopting green construction techniques. The last part of the chapter includes definitions of the sustainability terms and expressions used throughout this book. This chapter also introduces a research project that collected and analyzed the data incorporated into Chapters 7 through 9.
To assist readers in furthering their understanding of the material being presented in this book, each chapter contains key terms. At the end of each chapter, there is a list of the key terms for that chapter. These are words or phrases (and in many instances a definition is provided after the key terms) that readers may not be familiar with but should understand to progress through the material in each chapter.
1.2 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
In the twenty-first century, there is increasing concern for the environment and in implementing sustainable development policies. Analyzing sustainability as it applies to engineering design and construction operations requires evaluating sustainability from both an environmental and a social impact perspective. The following are some of the primary engineering design and construction areas directly related to sustainability issues:
• Compliance with government environmental regulations
• Environmental footprint of structures
• Environmental impact of production operations
• Resource efficiency
• Responsible supply chains and procurement
• Social and community impacts of projects
• Supplier and vendor environmental and social responsibility
• Sustainable designs and materials
One definition for sustainable development by Samaras (2004, p. 1) is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” and corporate sustainability is defined by Samaras (2004, p. 1) as “a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental, and social developments.”
1.3 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Corporate social responsibility is one of the major driving forces for the incorporation of sustainability concepts into the corporate strategies of firms. One of the original definitions of CSR by Bowen (1953, p. 6) refers to the obligations of corporations to “pursue those policies, to make those decisions, or to follow those lines of action which are desirable in terms of the objectives and values of our society” Another definition by Skruzmane (2005, p. 1) is “the success of a company’s business is gained not only through the observance of laws and regulations but also through an approach that strikes a balance among economic, environmental, and social issues in ways that benefit citizens, the community, and society as a whole.”
Social responsibility investment communities are another force driving the implementation of sustainable practices, as reflected by the increasing use of Dow Jones Sustainability Group Index, which tracks firms implementing sustainable practices. Social responsibility investment is defined by Uesugi (2004, p. 1) as “the supplying of funds to firms that fulfill social responsibilities through such means as stock investments and extension of loans.” Environmental and social credibility is also influencing whether construction firms are able to secure investments or receive preferential treatment on bids.
Key performance indicators are incorporated into...
