Risk Management in Construction Project: Taking Sustainability into Account

Abstract

One pillar of the European Union’s policy is the environmental policy, which indicates, among other things, a need for taking into account ecological conditions and effects in all types of economic activity. The construction industry is exposed to conflicts between processes and the natural environment. Taking into account the sustainable development in construction projects requires an inclusion of environmental problems in the scope of project risk management. Risk management in construction projects is considered as a very important process supporting the achievement of project goals in terms of time, cost, quality, safety and stainability issues. The aim of the article is to pay particular attention to the latter aspect. Project risk management is effective when it is implemented in a systematic manner throughout the life cycle of the construction project. The article indicates that the specific features of construction activity have a significant impact on shaping the nature of construction investment projects. Their executions are connected with deep and long-lasting interference in the natural environment, and they are burdensome for the environment, both in the construction phase, as well as during their maintenance and liquidation phase. It requires the consumption of significant amount of material resources and the involvement of a number of specialists and institutions making decisions in succeeding phases of the life cycle of erected structures. Therefore, these projects have many stakeholders - interested, to a different extent, in the particular stages of the project. The results of the survey carried out among construction entrepreneurs at the turn of 2015-2016 about the fuel and energy consumption in the logistics processes of construction projects are presented. This provides a basis for answering a research question about how seriously entrepreneurs treat sustainability problems. Risks related to sustainable development are indicated on the map of risks in the construction project. It is emphasized that construction works should be executed with the use of such energy-saving technical solutions that enable for minimising a use of natural resources in the construction and maintenance phases, and in the final stage will allow easy liquidation of the structure.