ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION FOR SMALL CONTRACTORS IN SINGAPORE: CURRENT STATUS, BARRIERS, CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS AND SOLUTIONS

Abstract

The increasing need to deal with environmental issues propels our construction industry to adopt a more sustainable approach in building projects. However, there is little research done to examine the issues faced by small contractors. As such, this dissertation will cover the current adoption status of sustainable construction, barriers, critical success factors, and solutions for small contractors in Singapore. Analysis of the survey responses revealed a low adoption rate of 40.44% for sustainable construction in projects. The top 6 barriers that small contractors face are: (1) (Perceived) Higher Investment Costs, (2) Slow Recovery of Investment, (3) Lack of Incentives, (4) Limited Sustainable Knowledge from Contractors, (5) Tendency to Maintain Current Practices and (6) Lack of Demand. In addition, the top 10 critical success factors for small contractors to achieve project success in adopting sustainable construction are: (1) Labourers with experience in sustainable construction, (2) Incentives/Subsidies provided by the government for projects that adopt sustainable construction, (3) Support of top management, (4) Return on Investment, (5) Commit to Changing Behaviour, (6) Engaging personnel with knowledge in sustainable construction (GMM/GMP), (7) Effective communication between stakeholders on goals for sustainable construction, (8) Early Contractor Involvement, (9) Cost control and (10) Competency of Project Manager. The top solutions to overcome the barriers are (1) Government to provide higher subsidies to offset premiums, (2) Compulsory implementation of sustainable construction processes, (3) Hire or engage a Green Mark Manager/Professional, (4) Costs savings from building operations to be shared with contractors and (5) Government to spur demand by adopting sustainable construction in public projects. Through this study, small contractors can improve on their strategies for adopting sustainable construction.