Exploring the Relationship between Project Selection and Approval Criteria and Infrastructure Sustainability

This research aimed at compiling project selection criteria and modelling a robust criterion for infrastructure project selection and approval to enhance sustainability. The decision to select and approve sustainable infrastructure project for development must base on a robust criterion. To handle this properly, first, decision-makers must adopt a robust criterion that aid infrastructure sustainability. The study employed a systematic literature review, methodology and thematic analysis procedure to identify infrastructure project selection and approval criteria from literature. A total of 34 project selection criteria were identified and grouped into five categories. Besides, four approval requirements and four sustainable indicators have been discussed. To avoid any ambiguous and unclear questions in the criterion, 40 professionals were selected purposively for the pilot survey. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were employed, and findings were used to improve the criteria. The quantitative phase of the study was conducted on 320 stakeholders who were either project selectors, approvers, advisors, or designers responsible for government projects. S.E.M. were adopted for the analysis and testing of the hypothesis. Moreover, the study has proposed a structure model that integrates identified criteria and indicators to enhance infrastructure selection and approval. Continuous professional development training is vital for all stakeholders to understand and adopt the proposed project selection and approval criteria model to improve infrastructure sustainability performance and to enhance project selection and approval practices. And it was also included in the design brief as a deliverable factor. This outcome serves as preliminary and exploratory research to aid further study on the project selection and approval criteria model for infrastructure sustainability.]