A Behavioral Framework for Construction Waste Minimization: The Case of Jordan

Abstract

Construction waste (CW) accounts for approximately 36 percent of the total solid waste received at landfill sites around the world and, therefore, presents a significant challenge to the sustainability of the construction industry, the country’s economy at large, and environmental sustainability worldwide. For Jordan, this issue is pertinent since the construction industry is still suffering from insufficient sustainability practices characterized by poor production, sub-standard performance, and a wasteful culture. Increasing attention has been placed on addressing the role of human factors in construction waste minimization (CWM), as the majority of the causes underlying CW are directly or indirectly affected by the behavior of those working in the construction industry. However, understanding CWM behavior is most challenging and complex, as adopting positive CWM behavior depends on many factors that contribute to its success or failure. This paper describes the development of a behavioral framework (BF) that aims to address this research gap. The Delphi technique, incorporating a series of semi-structured interviews, was chosen as the primary research investigative method, for the discovery and building of the BF. Twelve respondents (the experts’ panel), with extensive knowledge of and experience in the Jordanian construction industry, participated in two rounds of the Delphi study. They were able to offer a well-informed look at the current and potential status of the adoption of CWM behavior among Jordanian contractors. The resulting BF advances a more holistic understanding of the factors influencing the behavior of contractors toward CWM, which will support the adoption of waste minimization in Jordanian construction projects.