Attitudes towards social and economic aspects of sustainable construction amongst construction contractors

Sustainability is most commonly associated with preservation of the Earth's environment. A common misconception is that sustainable development usually involves the sacrifice of profit for environmental gain. In absence of comprehensive government regulation, this misconception limits potential for wide spread sustainable development. Development that is sustainable from an environmental perspective can benefit users, workers and society, and have positive short or long term economic benefits, a concept known as `the triple bottom line¿. It is the opinion of the authors that, with adequate awareness and education, the social and economic aspects of sustainable development will ultimately drive a comprehensive shift towards sustainable development.