pernilla gluch, phd building economics and management dep. of civil and environmental engineering...
TRANSCRIPT
Pernilla Gluch, PhD
Building Economics and Management Dep. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Chalmers University of [email protected]
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