Facilitating effective green procurement in construction projects: An empirical study of the enablers

Abstract

Given the urgent need to enhance industry practices in a green, safe, and economical manner, facilitating the wider adoption of green procurement in building developments has been a major concern of the construction industry. This paper aims to provide insight into the factors that are important in enhancing green procurement in the construction process and to suggest recommendations for the effective adoption of green procurement through a questionnaire survey and expert interviews. The top three most significant factors identified are mandatory environmental regulations by the government, client requirements in tendering, and government and non-governmental organization requirements. The results of a factor analysis of 35 variables identify 10 underlying grouped factors for facilitating effective green procurement in Hong Kong's construction industry. The factor group “Regulations and standards of green procurement by the government” is the most significant, followed by “Life-cycle considerations and green construction technology” and “Executive management's commitments and requirements.” Efforts or initiatives undertaken by the community and the government on green procurement, such as competitions/awards, incentive schemes, and executives' green procurement commitments and requirements, are considered important in the green procurement process. The experts interviewed indicated that the government should take a proactive role in pushing green procurement adoption. Advanced construction IT (e.g., BIM) should be employed to stimulate the construction process to incorporate a green design approach and reduce waste. In addition, the establishment of a fully functioning green material market would help to promote the concept of green procurement and gradually lower material costs. Active engagement of suppliers to provide the performance details of construction materials is also necessary.