Sustainable construction management practices in a Brazilian medium-sized city

Abstract

Abstract The construction industry has a great impact on the environment worldwide. The diffusion of sustainability concepts has led the industry to improve environmental performance in building projects. This paper aims to identify sustainable practicesadopted by managers in the construction industryin a medium-sized city in Brazil. An online surveywith17 questions regarding knowledgeand application of environmental sustainability strategies in project design and construction management was applied to managersin the industry. The sample considered 20 construction companies, members of the city’s Civil Construction Union. Results show that, despite being aware of sustainability principles and their importance, only 30% of the companies apply at least one strategy related to waste management, waste production, sound, visual, water and soil pollution and energy and water consumption. This paper may contribute to the development of strategies to encourage sustainability in the construction sector.