Towards a more applicable set of sustainable construction practices

The concept of introducing sustainability into the construction industry is not a new one; it has been paid an ever-increasing attention since the late 1980s. Previous research and literature on sustainable construction are plentiful, and diversifying to a very broad - and sometimes conflicting - range of aspects: from social, economic, and ecological, to engineering. Sustainable construction, however, is by no means standard practice. This paper attempts to investigate several issues related to the practical implementation of sustainable practices in construction, including the nature of 'sustainable construction' itself, the limitations to application, and the need for a promoted set of sustainable construction practices at an operational level. A conceptual context space is proposed, within which a set of sustainable construction practices is promoted.