EXPLORATION OF SYNERGIES BETWEEN ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND ACTUAL PRACTICE FOR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

With the increase in the construction waste generation rates in recent times, concerns related to the attainment of global sustainability triggered as well. Consequently, issues related to the effective management of construction waste have got the attention of waste management researchers more than ever before. Governments worldwide allocate massive funds into research and development (R&D) to make focused policies for protecting the environment and conserve their limited resources. Hong Kong, a special administrative region (HKSAR) of the Republic of China, like many other advanced regions in the world, also faces serious challenges to protect the environment and achieve sustainability. In order to arrive at sustainable solutions through the implementation of well-designed strategies, exploration of synergies between academic research and the actual practice has become more crucial now. To address this, the research method considers an exploratory approach to investigate the 1) academic research being conducted in the area of construction waste management; 2) actual practice by exploring the waste management infrastructure support system, construction waste generation, reuse and disposal trends, and the implemented policies; and 3) exploration of synergies between the actual and academic practices for improved construction waste management in Hong Kong. For scope purposes, this study considers 20 years period, i.e., 2001-2020. Recommendations highlighting the need for bridging the gap between academic research and actual practice are also delineated for future researchers.