A decision matrix approach to green project management processes
| Published date | 11 July 2016 |
| Date | 11 July 2016 |
| Pages | 174-189 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJSTSD-01-2016-0009 |
| Author | Mustafa Sahban Al-Tekreeti,Salwa Mamoun Beheiry |
| Subject Matter | Public policy & environmental management,Environmental technology & innovation |
A decision matrix approach
to green project
management processes
Mustafa Sahban Al-Tekreeti
American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and
Salwa Mamoun Beheiry
Department of Civil Engineering, American University of Sharjah,
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to develop a decision matrix for green project management
processes (GPMPs) in commercial construction projects. GPMPs can assist in decoding all of the
information required to make green-conscious decisions at various stages of a project.
Design/methodology/approach –Integrate the environmental factors into the traditional project
management processes (PMPs) of major construction projects. The integrated product is worked into a
process index, and the analytical hierarchy processes (AHP) method is used to prioritize the GPMPs
according to pre-set criteria.
Findings –Research established the theoretical backing of green practices integration in the
traditional PMPs, by creating an AHP weighted GPMP index that is linked to usable decision matrix.
Originality/value –Develops a fresh methodology to facilitate green decision-making in the project
management of commercial construction projects.
Keywords Environmental management, Analytical hierarchy processes, Decision matrix,
Green indicators, Green project management processes, Project management process
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Earth has limited resources that one day will be depleted if we continue to consume as
rapidly as we do now. Therefore, we need to manage our resources and develop sustainable
ways of living both to survive and to conserve resources for future generations.
In their 2009 conference paper, Ning et al. state that one way to solve this problem is
to move toward a sustainable lifestyle such as applying green project management
concepts, which is one of the techniques used to ensure a project’s sustainability an d to
facilitate the challenges that face the building of green projects. Meeting the needs of
today’s civilization without jeopardizing the future needs of the next generation is the
primary concept involved in adopting sustainable project management (Ning et al.,
2009). His 2010 journal article highlights the fact that environmental impacts, societal
factors, and the economy are combined to develop green project management concepts
that aim to achieve sustainability and harmony in nature (He, 2010). In their 2003
journal article, Czuchry and Yasin state that when applying green project ma nagement
processes (GPMPs), managers are required to change their organizational culture by
shifting toward open, horizontal communication systems and delegating responsibility
to other team members (Czuchry and Yasin, 2003).
Furthermore, there is plenty of distinct research on project management or
sustainability,but only a few authors bridge that gap (Tufinio et al.,2013). The objectives
of this study were to integrate green aspects into traditional project management
World Journal of Science,
Technology and Sustainable
Development
Vol. 13 No. 3, 2016
pp. 174-189
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2042-5945
DOI 10.1108/WJSTSD-01-2016-0009
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2042-5945.htm
174
WJSTSD
13,3
processes (PMPs), to develop a GPMP index based on those integrated processes, to use
the analyticalhierarchy process (AHP) to prioritizethe integrated GPMPs and to create a
decision matrix based on the prioritized GPMPs. This work is an annex to the thesis
effort by Al-Tekreeti and Beheiry at the American university of Sharjah in 2015.
Literature review
PMPs
Uppal (2004) states that PMPs are a series of actions or functions that must be executed
to fulfill project objectives. To do so, one must continuously perform a sequence of
systematic methods to execute and evaluate the project. Effective implementation
of PMPs is the key factor for enhancing project efficiency, and by extension, the project
successes rate will increase (Robert and Ralf, 2015). Hamilton indicates in his 1997 book
that innovative thinking, technology, and problem-solving tools can be facilitated
through PMPs (Hamilton, 1997). In their 2002 book, Lientz and Rea state that the
following project elements should be included in an integrated project management
process: the companystrategy, the establishmentof the project, project review, obtaining
approval from the client and the regulatory institution, managing organizational
resources, making decisions based on the project’s progress, integrating the project with
other work, and measuring the success or failure of the project.
Green management techniques and GPMPs
Tam et al. (2004) state that green construction assessment (GCA) provides the tools to
continuously improve the construction process and to quantify environmental
fulfillment. GCA will be based on what the client wants to measure, not what the
assessment tools measure. Therefore, a pilot study will be conducted to identify
the assessment criteria that concern green developers. To develop suitable weighting
indicators for the complex, uncorrelated green assessment criteria involved in GCA,
a scientific method should be used.
Korkmaz et al. in their 2010 report stated that the integration level in process
delivery affect the outcomes of the project especially the sustainability goals. Project
delivery attributes such as contract conditions, owner’s commitment, and delivery
process integration have an influence on the project outcomes. The report utilized case
studies and methods of qualitative analysis to show that higher levels of design process
integration will lead to a higher sustainability awareness level. Moreover, the report
indicates that early immersion of the green strategies in the project design is a key
factor in fulfilling the sustainability project outcomes.
Likewise, in their 2014 article, Tsai et al. specified that managing carbon emission
from green building projects is a challenging problem that prompted their creation of
the combined life cycle assessment and activity-based cost approach to develop an
integrated model that assists the managers in pre-construction decision making on
environmentally friendly construction projects bidding. This model helped
construction companies to understand resources allocation and identify energy
saving activities for each green building project through cost drivers.
The multiple criteria decision-making model helps to improve project environmental
sustainability by selecting the suitable construction method and combines the
decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL), analytic network process
(ANP) and zero-one goal programming (ZOGP) methods for evaluation process for each
green project to obtain the optimal environmental sustainability level. DEMATEL
175
Green project
management
processes
To continue reading
Request your trial