Pernilla Gluch, PhD

Building Economics and Management Dep. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Chalmers University of Technologypernilla.gluch@chalmers.se

Social practices, structure and agency

Effects on environmental management in construction projects

”Green Building”Sustainable building and the Swedish construction industry

”Suddenly I realize that this is also my concern, not only an issue for a few enthusiasts”(Construction Manager)

”Side tracks from mainstream building practice” (Femenías, 2004)

• The 40% - industry• Research efforts• Joint initiatives by the industry• Technical solution• Environmental management tools, e.g. EMS• Increased environmental awareness

Business-as-usual

Some paradoxes [Ref: Miljöbarometern för byggsektorn 2002]

Companies in the Swedish Construction Industry …

... considers the issue of energy efficiency as the industry’s largest and main problem area

butdoes not work with it…

…lays effort on waste managementbut

The total amount of waste from the business is still increasing…

…has put large effort into strategic management measuresbut

has no clue whether it has given results or not…

…considers environmental work as expensivebut

does not know the cost of it…

…considers the clients as the most important stakeholderbut

does not carry out green marketing…

The aim of the paper is to increase the understanding of how organizational structures and management practice of projects influence on how

environmental issues are managed in a project-based organization.

The focus is on the interplay between structural conditions and managerial agency and its effects on

communication of environmental concern.

“We have me [as environmental informer]. I write and send messages in paper documents. Everyone throws them away. Now e-mail is supposed to be more used; it is better for the environment, but getting the information is up to each individual. There is an infinite amount of information; I give them hints about what is realistic.” (Environmental Manager, Construction Company)

Method and Study object

The c lient'sprojec t

organisation

The c ontrac tor 'sprojec torganisation

Pro jectmanage r

Bu ild inginspecto rs

Environmen ta lo ffic ia l

Pro jectmanage rs

Environmen ta lO ffic ia l

F o remen

C ra ftsmen

T askmanage rs

Subcon tracto rs

Environmen ta lO ffic ia lD istr ic t

Environmen ta ls ta ff

The Contrac tor(IntCon)

The Tunnel Project

Organisingprocesses

Social practice

Communication processes

Behaviour and decision making

Environmental Management tools

Technology

Building Green

Green Building

Expend current product-oriented perspective on green building by shifting towards a perspective that integrates technical aspects with ongoing social processes.

To reach a sustainable development within the construction industry it is important to consider that people are part of on-going organizing processes that creates social patterns, practice and situational meaning which in turn affect their behaviour and decisions.

Interplay

Dominating and institutionalized project practice: characteristics

Strong decentralization and autonomy

Shortsighted time perspective

Restrained flexibility and innovation

Occurrence of structurally and culturally bounded communicative filters

Talkative communication culture

Slow reaction on societal changes

The client has a normative role

“The project is the project and, well, here you are...

the project is very isolated.”

(Construction manager)

” “When we are engaged in a project it is the project

time that decides the environmental boundaries, we look at the small scope

of the project.”

(Project manager)

The ”isolated” construction project

Marginalized environmental management practice and discourse: characteristics

Centralized control

Loosely coupled organisation

Undeveloped and/or undermined environmental management practice

Situational interpretation of environmental aspects

Environmental work is considered work added on top of “regular” work – bureaucratic paper exercises

Marginalized and filtered to a few matter issue

Afflicted with a prejudged and unreflective attitudes, e.g. environmental management is only connected with expenses

Environmental talk is built on myths, anecdotes and funny stories.

” It feels as there is too much that is foisted on us, checklists and demands and other things,

‘now you have to check that and that’, Sometimes I perceive

it’s only as a showcase, especially if you know that you

will not be able to fulfill the demands set on you. (..) I mean, we do not only work with green

issues, we also have to produce something and make money.

(Foreman).

”

In the minds of many [at IntCon] and also in mine, if you say

environmental issues we automatically think: chemicals.

Environmental issues equal chemicals. (Project manager)

The ”isolated” environmental issue

Uneven ‘power struggle’ between environmental management practice and project practice

“One disadvantage with this job is that you sometimes are regarded as a nag

and as difficult because you make demands. You say: ’You cannot use this

product.’ ’Yes I know but only for this time, we are in a hurry, we have a

deadline to meet’ and, well, sometimes you have to turn a blind eye to it, but at least you try to make them think ahead

so that it is not regarded as ’oops do we have to do that as well’. (EO)

“it’s not the most fun job. There is too much lecturing and that is not so popular […] They [construction workers] are very focused on the actual production and would gladly skip this environmental stuff”. (EO)

Professional identity

Influence/authority

Meaning

Visibility

To even up the lopsidedness 4 aspects need to be considered

“I think the program is very good. This is the first time I

work according to such a comprehensive environmental

document. It is an advantage that all specifications can be

found in one document.”

(Task manager)

“It is very formal. All communication must be written and documented… It is too formal, you should not need to write a letter about everything when you can pick up the phone and call or why not make a visit, it is not far.”

(Site manager)

Exploring social practices and organisational features of construction projects and their relation to environmental management has yielded the following conclusions:

When developing tools and decision strategies it is important have a realistic view of their roles in the decision-making process. For example would it be wise to revise the EMS approach.

It is necessary to legitimate environmental concern in the organisation by creating meaning of them through a sense making process

If organisations rank environmental issues as a top priority and also want this to be reflected in the construction projects, the position and role of the environmental officials need to be strengthen in the organisation.

To break the isolation between the project organisation and the permanent environmental division there is a need to find ways where environmental management and project professionals can team up.

More room to study environmental management in project-based organisations

The environmental profession: identity, function and role

Informal environmental communication processes and their relation to formal action and practice

Development of communicative arenas for knowledge exchange between different professional groupings

… Thank you for listening