Critical Success Factors for Concrete Recycling in Construction Projects

Abdulmalek K Badraddin,Rahimi A Rahman,Afiqah R Radzi,Saud Almutairi

doi:10.3390/su14053102

Abstract

This study explores the success factors of concrete recycling in construction projects, using Malaysia as a case study. The objectives include (1) identifying the critical success factors for concrete recycling in construction projects, (2) comparing the critical success factors between large enterprises (LEs) and small–medium enterprises (SMEs), and (3) developing constructs that group the critical success factors. First, a list of success factors was identified through semi-structured interviews with fifteen construction industry professionals and a systematic literature review of journal articles. This list was then incorporated into a questionnaire and disseminated to industry professionals. Eighty-nine valid responses were collected and analyzed using mean score ranking, normalization, agreement analysis, and factor analysis techniques. The analyses showed ten critical success factors for concrete recycling. The critical success factors include the availability of uniform standards for concrete recycling, adequate awareness among project stakeholders on concrete recycling, appropriate construction waste management plans, government policies to support concrete recycling, good marketing strategy for concrete recycling, good communication among employees, applications for recycled concrete in sub-industries, provisions in work method statements on concrete recycling, positive legislation toward concrete recycling, and availability of concrete recycling infrastructure. However, the percentage of agreement between SMEs and LEs for the ten critical success factors was only 22%. In other words, there is no consensus on criticality across organizational sizes. Finally, the critical success factors can be categorized into two interrelated groups: external and internal. This study contributes to the literature by analyzing the necessary success factors for concrete recycling. The study findings allow researchers and practitioners to develop strategies to promote concrete recycling.

Highlights

The construction industry often drives a country’s socioeconomic development [1].Rising living standards, growing demand for construction projects, evolving consumer purchasing patterns, and natural population growth are contributing to the construction industry’s expansion
The following are the top five success factors identified from the list of identified critical success factors: “availability of uniform standards for recycling concrete”, “adequate awareness among project stakeholders on concrete recycling”, “appropriate construction waste management plan”, “government policy to support concrete recycling”, and “good marketing strategy for concrete recycling”
Another aspect to consider is that while the large enterprises (LEs) rating for “appropriate construction waste management plan” (SF04) is the highest, it is only middlingly ranked for small–medium enterprises (SMEs)

Summary

Introduction

The construction industry often drives a country’s socioeconomic development [1]. Rising living standards, growing demand for construction projects, evolving consumer purchasing patterns, and natural population growth are contributing to the construction industry’s expansion. As a result of this development, the quantity of concrete produced throughout construction projects has increased considerably [2]. Concrete waste has become a global environmental problem, including global warming, acid rain, air pollution, and climate change, that necessitates rapid action. Untreated concrete waste can potentially harm the environment. Concrete waste has been identified as a form of pollution that, if allowed to increase unchecked, has the potential to become a serious problem for any nation [3]. As concrete waste has little or no monetary value, Sustainability 2022, 14, 3102.

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