Multi-stakeholder framework for assessing the life-cycle social cost of construction projects

Abstract

Social dimensions, as one of the three pillars of sustainability, are commonly not fully considered in the planning, bidding, and design processes of construction projects, primarily due to a lack of standardized estimation methods. Despite the potential economic and social benefits of these projects, they may lead to various negative social impacts during the construction process. In this study, negative social impacts associated with construction projects are investigated considering different stakeholder categories and detailed social cost models. The social impacts and costs estimated in this paper cover a multitude of adverse effects on: (a) workplace and traffic safety, (b) mobility of people and goods, (c) regional economic growth, (d) dwelling environments, and (e) public services. Parameters for the social cost estimation are obtained based mainly on various public databases and project information. For illustration, the proposed framework is applied to quantify the social impacts associated with the construction of a residential building and the maintenance of a highway bridge. The study shows that the social costs of different construction projects vary significantly due to the different stakeholders involved. The compositions of diverse social cost components to the total social impact are investigated for these two construction projects.