Analyzing Sustainable Building Construction Project Delivery Practices: Builders’ Perspective

Abstract

Sustainable building projects gained momentum in the last decade, and the trend continues. This article explores the factors affecting the sustainable building delivery process. It highlights the differentiating aspects of sustainable building projects from conventional projects in regard to project phases and makes recommendations about the timing of services, such as value engineering, constructability analysis, technology integration, and construction manager and specialty subcontractors’ involvement. The survey questionnaire content was created based on the literature review findings. It was conducted with 17 executive-level managers of major green builders in the United States. The results indicate that design-build is the most preferred method, preconstruction services require more time, iterative processes are used, and the early involvement of project participants is critical in sustainable building delivery. Team integration and the chemistry among team members significantly contribute to successful outcomes. The utilization of building information modeling is key in providing effectiveness from the initial design to the postconstruction phase. The study is of relevance to industry practitioners who want to capitalize more on sustainable projects, and it is of relevance to researchers, too, because it provides input regarding the sustainable practices of top green contractors.