A Project Life-Cycle Readiness Approach to Manage Construction Waste in Jordan

Abstract

The construction industry is well-known for generating the largest amount of waste amongst other industries, which significantly pollutes the environment. This study, therefore, examines the causes and sources of waste in construction projects, considering activities, inputs, and outputs of each phase of the construction projects’ lifecycle (i.e., concept, definition, deployment, and transition). Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals in construction projects in Jordan, including architects, contractors, and project administrators. The findings reveal that waste resulting from construction projects passes across several organized operations from generation to final disposal. Furthermore, waste is generated in small amounts at the early stages of the project construction but grows as the project progresses towards the end. This paper’s key contribution is to supplement the literature on waste management solutions by providing a holistic approach to tackling waste at its root by including waste management strategies across the project lifecycle phases, not only during the construction phase. This is done with a management readiness view to develop a suitable strategy for construction waste minimization and improve the management of construction projects. This study’s practical implication is providing a holistic waste management framework for practitioners to adopt in the early stages of the project.