Abstract
The Ghanaian construction industry continues to improve by the recent intensification of infrastructure development by government and the private sector. Nonetheless, this is happening with a strong focus on economic development to the detriment of the environment these activities affect. This paper focuses on identifying the strategies by which sustainable environmental management could be structured to mitigate the impact of construction activities in Ghana. A mixed-method research approach was adopted. Quantitative data were collected from 83 practitioners in the construction industry, while qualitative data were elicited from 18 Construction and Environmental Management practitioners. The mean scores indicated that all the 20 strategies for integrating environmental concerns into construction activities in Ghana were considered significant by the respondents. The empirical findings of the study indicate that for environmental concerns to be effectively integrated into construction activities in Ghana, a concerted effort will be required from the various actors within the construction industry. These include the role of clients in selecting environmentally conscious service providers, designers focusing on environmentally friendly construction materials and methods, reduce, recycling and reuse of waste materials, the commitment of government towards sustainable development, and well-structured educational campaigns to promote environmentally sustainable construction activities.
Highlights
Environmental deterioration has been one of the most discussed issues in recent times all over the world
The empirical findings of the study indicate that for environmental concerns to be effectively integrated into construction activities in Ghana, a concerted effort will be required from the various actors within the construction industry
The results further show that “Clients should consider environmental track records when selecting consultants and contractors”, “Consultants/designers should consider environmentally friendly materials in their design”, “Waste generated from construction activities should be recycled into other construction materials”, “Government should lead the campaign by ensuring all government funded construction projects are environmentally friendly”, and “Education and awareness raising are critical in promoting environmentally sustainable construction” are the first five strategies for integrating environmental concerns into construction activities in Ghana according to the respondents as they recorded the highest mean scores
Summary
Environmental deterioration has been one of the most discussed issues in recent times all over the world. This situation is aggravated by the impact construction activities have on the environment [1] [2]. The acknowledgment of the interdependence of the construction sector and the environment has motivated the pursuit of a strategy to mitigate the impact of their interactions with one another and the overall impact on sustainable development (SD). Sustainable development is not a new concept [3]. SD is a dynamic, fluid concept that has evolved. The concept focuses on the incorporation of economic, environmental and social interests and the requirement that they are treated both for intragenerational and intergenerational equity
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