Will contractors pursue unsustainable practices following environmental recovery? A highway case in China
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 21 December 2021
Issue publication date: 4 April 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to map out contractors' thoughts on construction-related environmental recovery as an excuse for deliberately carrying on unsustainable construction.
Design/methodology/approach
A typical highway construction project in China was investigated. Textual materials were collected through semistructured interviews. Content analysis was conducted to derive qualitative data from the textual materials.
Findings
The research findings reveal a trend of environmental recovery associated with construction activities. It is found that contractors utilize this trend to maintain unsustainable construction. Furthermore, the effects of environmental recovery equip local governments with a tolerance for environmental degradation, and the environmental tolerance allows contractors to continue unsustainable construction without being discovered.
Originality/value
This paper presents an environmental recovery-based perspective on unsustainable construction and sheds some light on the promotion of sustainable construction.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Chongqing University for financing this research project under the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No. 2022CDJSKZX05; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 71871033.
Citation
Shang, T., Hu, X., Ye, K. and Tam, V.W.Y. (2023), "Will contractors pursue unsustainable practices following environmental recovery? A highway case in China", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 1165-1182. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-07-2021-0581
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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