Green Construction: Contractor Experiences, Expectations, and Perceptions

Abstract

As the benefits of green building continue to change the Architecture/Engineering/Construction industry and the number of green projects rises in the United States due to market changes, more construction firms are gaining experience with this new way of building and changing their expectations for new hires from degree-granting construction programs. This paper documents a baseline study of contractor experiences, expectations, and perceptions associated with green building conducted in Fall 2006. The study was based on detailed survey results from 87 different companies recruiting from three major university construction programs in the eastern United States (Auburn, Purdue, and Virginia Tech). The survey collected data regarding current experience levels and capabilities of companies with regard to green construction, corporate expectations of new hires in terms of green construction knowledge and skills, and respondent expectations and perceptions about the future of the industry with regard to green projects. The findings of this study support the growing importance of green building as a component of the whole construction market and provide a benchmark against which to measure future changes in the industry over time.