An integrated life cycle-based viable procurement system to enhance the success level of sustainable building

Abstract

Sustainable building IS regarded as one of the most effective approaches for saving resource, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting sustainable development. The importance of procurement system for achieving sustainable building success was identified by both literature review and the pilot study. However, there is lack of a holistic and systematic framework to formulate a sustainable building procurement system. To address this research gap, the main objective of this study is to design a viable sustainable building procurement system as a useful tool to pursue sustainable building success. Eight research methods were adopted in a logically mixed approach for this study: literature review, questionnaire survey, interview, Delphi method, modelling simulation, theory modelling and integrated systems approach. First, critical success factors (CSFs) and success criteria (SC) of sustainable building were identified by questionnaire survey. Five factor groups of CSFs were identified by factor analysis, namely: top management and team competence, continuous improvement of project performance and stakeholder benefit effectiveness, effectiveness of life cycle process management, effectiveness of integrated design and resource management, and budget and risk control effectiveness. SC was identified and grouped into three categories: success of traditional project performance; success of sustainable performance from environmental, social and economic perspectives; success of participants’ satisfaction. Next, procurement system variables (PSVs) were identified by literature review. Their relationships with CSFs and SCs were identified by two rounds of Delphi questionnaires. A causal-loop diagram capturing these relationships was designed. Then, system dynamics (SD) model was established based on the structure of the causal-loop diagram. Based on the results of the SD model simulations, improvement policies for five typical procurement systems to enhance the success level of sustainable building were identified, including increasing top management commitment; early evaluation and adoption of sustainability considerations; improving training and education, practicing organizational learning; improving team cooperation and integration; life cycle project management and sustainability consideration; selection based not only on price; contract strategy including sustainability goals, incentives, and suitable pricing method etc. After that, a viable procurement system model (VPSM) was developed based on the cybernetics theory and viable system model. Finally, by incorporating the improvement policies drawn from SD model simulations into the VPSM, this research developed an integrated life cycle-based VPSM for sustainable building. The proposed integrated life cycle-based VPSM combines life cycle-based building procurement process, viable system structure, building project goals and detailed improvement policies into a whole viable system which can ensure the viability of the procurement system to achieve project goals and enhance success level of sustainable building throughout the project life cycle. The results of this study can be helpful for procuring sustainable building systematically and successfully. The academic significance of addressing the research gaps is also evident in the findings, which contribute substantially to this area of knowledge.