The integration of project management, quality and sustainable design to achieve sustainable project outcomes in New Zealand commercial building projects

Abstract

Since the early 1980’s the concept of sustainability and sustainable development has been evolving and solidifying its relevance on a worldwide scale. Within the building industry, the new millennium marked a substantial period with a shift in the way of thinking on the topic of sustainability and sustainable design, and which resulted in a rise in green building projects. These sustainable development projects recognised an opportunity to reduce environmental impacts and energy consumption, cut construction and operational costs, and provide better quality built environments. Movement on the concept of green building and sustainable practices has significantly slowed in more recent times, with the limited influential progression flowing through from these early ways of thinking having been linked to a growing understanding that a continual undertaking of a singular green building at a time is insufficient to coerce change across society and in the common-practice ways of thinking. Current literature and trade discussions most widely recognise that to achieve the required shift within the building industry and construction sector, several practices and principles need to come into alignment between sustainability, sustainable development and construction project management. These standing studies highlight that although the responsibility for sustainability will differ across any given selection of projects, the role of the project manager is always influential. Therefore, meaning that project managers and the project management profession should take more responsibility for creating a sustainable future. To achieve this however, it is widely understood that the specific expertise of project managers will need to evolve to enable practical implementation of the concepts involved with sustainability. This existing research and literature includes thorough investigation into the obstacles which arise when the traditional systems and principles for construction project management are applied to the modern specifications called for in sustainable development and sustainable design projects. Through advancing on these conclusions, this new research thesis explores how the individual project manager and the project management profession can begin to bridge the gap between traditional project outcomes and the ever-developing requirements for built sustainable design project outcomes within the New Zealand commercial building construction industry. In doing so, the author endeavours to understand how the integration of sustainable development with the quality sector of the Iron Triangle can be driven by the project management profession to influence the production and delivery of sustainable built environments in New Zealand. Considerations will include the current market position within the New Zealand construction industry, together with examination into why these two concepts are currently divergent and whether government legislation is helping or hindering a shift toward a more sustainable construction industry.