Strategies Construction Project Managers Use to Create Environmental Sustainability in Construction Projects

Senior construction project managers who fail to create strategies for environmental sustainability risk losing their competitive advantage in the business environment. Based on stakeholder theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that senior project managers use to implement environmental sustainability in their construction projects. Data were obtained from semistructured interviews with 4 senior project managers from 4 construction companies located in the midwestern region of the United States who implemented environmentally sustainable practices in their project processes. The data analysis process included methodological triangulation. The interviews were transcribed, interpreted, and coded to generate themes, which were validated through member checking and archival documentation. The centralized themes included (a) stakeholder engagement, (b) terminology, and (c) cost. Construction projects require the use of appropriate strategies for implementation of environmental sustainability in their project processes, lest project failure occurs. The use of stakeholder engagement principles, to strengthen environmental sustainability interests, creates shared concern and helps generate a roadmap for using environmentally sustainable business strategies. The implications for positive social change include the potential to affect business practices by contributing new knowledge to develop strategies that project managers can use for implementing environmentally sustainable practices. Environmentally sustainable construction practices will enhance the social practice of caring for the environment and create health and well-being