An Exploratory Study on the Impact of the Construction Industry on Climate Change

Abstract

In the last decade, the construction industry in Egypt has been booming, and many mega projects are under construction. The lack of awareness of the construction industry’s impact on climate change could be very harmful in terms of CO2 emission, water and soil pollution, etc. This paper aims to explore the critical factors in the Egyptian construction industry that contributes to climate change. Moreover, given the shared features between the construction industry in Egypt and those in other countries, this research could also shed light on the general impacts of the construction industry on the various aspects of climate change. So, to achieve this aim, an intensive literature review was carried out to identify various factors contributing to climate change within the construction industry. This is followed by conducting 11 interviews with construction experts to explore any further factors throughout the lifecycle of a construction project. The identified factors from the literature review and the interviews were used to design a questionnaire survey to collect construction professionals’ opinions on the impact of these factors on climate change in Egypt. 48 valid responses were received. The collected data were statistically analyzed to rank and determine the criticality level of these factors. The results revealed that the most significant factors influencing climate change are the impact of industrial construction on climate change, the use of primary renewable energy as raw materials during the construction and use phases, and the effect of heavy civil and highway construction on climate change. The results also show that managing these factors requires considerable awareness and proactive actions during the project life cycle and pre-construction stage. The findings could inform decision-makers and construction professionals to raise awareness and make informed decisions to handle these key factors and minimize their potential contribution to climate change. Therefore, it can be recommended that construction clients may involve a climate change management plan as a requirement of tender documents.