Sustainable construction practice and contractors’ competitiveness: A preliminary study

With the increasing requirement for resource efficiency and climate change adaptation in the construction industry, there is a need for contractors to implement sustainable practices. Such action will also be the source of competitive advantage in the future. However, there are few studies investigating the contribution of sustainable construction practice to contractors’ competitiveness. This paper is a review of sustainable practice in the construction industry and the relationship between sustainability performance and business competitiveness. A framework for implementing sustainable construction practice to improve contractors’ competitiveness is introduced to help contractors develop their sustainable strategies for meeting a changing competition environment.

Research highlights
► There is positive relationship between sustainability performance and business competitiveness.
► Implementation of sustainable construction practice contributes to the improvement of contractors’ competitiveness.
► A framework for implementing sustainable construction practice is developed.