Framework for developing construction sustainability items: the example of highway design

Sustainable issues have been widely discussed in the construction industry in recent years. Although some studies have examined sustainability, it is still difficult for engineering designers to incorporate sustainable concepts into their work. The design stage is key in the life cycle to integrating sustainability into construction projects. Therefore, practical methods and tools are needed to facilitate sustainability in design work. This study proposed a framework for developing sustainable items for highway design. Highway-related sustainable items were identified from a literature review of sustainable requirements and highway project practices. Next, specific sustainable items were selected through interviews with practitioners including designers, constructors, and maintenance owners. A checklist consisting of 60 technique and material sustainable items was created. Finally, the checklist was tested on four highway design projects to check the applicability of the sustainable items. The results show that over 52% of the 60 developed sustainable items were considered and 50% incorporated into design. Designers can use the checklist as a tool to mark considered items, record man-hours devoted to sustainability, and calculate the percentage of items incorporated. The framework can narrow the gap between theoretical requirements and current design practices, thus leading construction projects toward sustainability. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.