The role of the construction industry in China's sustainable urban development

• The pros and cons of the construction industry in China's sustainable urban development.
• It analyses the social, economical and environmental impacts of the construction industry.
• Suggestions are provided for the future development.

The construction industry is a large energy consumer and carbon emitter. Although the Chinese government has had sustainable development on the agenda for some years, the construction industry has seemed to respond more slowly than other sectors. As a result the construction industry in China suffered from low competitiveness in the global market, skill shortage and lack of initiatives toward technology innovation. This research reviewed the role of the construction industry in China's sustainable urban development. The social, economic and environmental impacts of the construction industry on China's sustainable urban development are also analysed. The results show that the construction in China plays both positive and negative roles in China's sustainable urban development. Suggestions including establishment of standard measures, strictly regulating the tendering process and improvement of law enforcement, technical innovation, and encouraging the collaboration between the construction industry and the education and professional institutes, are provided for the future development of the construction industry in China.