Sustainability and Construction: The Global Context And the New Zealand Perspective

by Kamal Dhawan, John E. Tookey, Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini

Overview

Sustainability and Construction explores various dimensions of sustainability in construction. It commences with a comprehensive discourse on the sustainability concept and its construction context.Next, it examines sustainability across the various phases of a typical construction project—from inception, through operationalization, to end-of-life management—on one hand, and, on the other, the sustainability of associated processes and domains such as supply chains, logistics, delivery models, and waste management. The narrative is extended through sustainability rating schemes, regenerative built environment, and the context of technology in construction. A strategic organizational viewpoint is presented through an integrated treatment of corporate sustainability, its assessment, reporting, and benchmarking, against the backdrop of the sustainability imperative. Stakeholder perspectives and the “wickedness” of sustainable construction in New Zealand conclude the work.
The unique treatment of the overarching themes impacting sustainability in the global construction industry and their intersection with the New Zealand standpoint delivers a well-balanced and thoroughly researched resource. It is a value-added, highly visual text for engineers, students, researchers, policy makers, and industry stakeholders alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780443237584
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	09/01/2026
Series:	Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering
Pages:	900
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dr. Kamal Dhawan holds a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru University, an MTech in Production Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India, and a PhD in Construction Logistics from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. His principal areas of expertise are Engineering Asset Management, Sustainability of Transport and Logistics and their climate change impacts, and Sustainable Construction. He has had extensive experience in managing specialist supply chains and logistics across international borders including both Indian as well as foreign entities. He currently lectures on Construction Logistics, Construction Equipment, and Sustainable Construction at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

Professor John E. Tookey holds a BSc in Technology and Management Science and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Bradford, UK. He has an extensive track record of program development, governance and research in construction management and related disciplines. Professor Tookey joined Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand in 2009. His areas of principal expertise include construction management, logistics, supply chain management, productivity, procurement, building costs, and BIM. He has been involved in numerous funded research projects addressing the logistics of construction materials and waste, construction productivity, housing productivity, and lean construction. Professor Tookey has introduced over 10 undergraduate and post graduate programs in construction at various institutions in the UK and New Zealand. In addition to research and publication, he is a regular media commentator on housing and infrastructure issues.

Professor Ali GhaffarianHoseini is a Senior Academic Strategist and Head of Built Environment Engineering at Auckland University of Technology. With over 20 years of academic management experience, he has excelled as a leader, consultant, and scholar. He actively contributes as a Consultant to the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Evaluator at MBIE, and Delegate of the College of Assessors at Royal Society Te Apārangi. An internationally recognized scientist, Professor Ghaffarian has led collaborations with global leaders and published extensively, with over 200 patents, articles, books, and conference papers. His research focuses on integrating advanced technologies with sustainable development, including Smart Cities, BIM, Digital Twins, and climate adaptation. A dedicated academic leader, he has developed and accredited numerous programs, laboratories, and mentoring initiatives. His scholarly contributions and leadership at over 100 international conferences highlight his impact in academia and beyond.

Professor Amir is a renowned academic with over 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and leadership across New Zealand, Canada, and Malaysia. Currently serving as Director of the Architectural Engineering Lab and the Responsive + Green Urban Built Environment Lab at AUT, his work focuses on sustainable urban futures, digital twins, and intelligent buildings. He ranks among New Zealand's most cited architecture professors and is listed in the top 2% of global scientists by Stanford University. Amir has published extensively in leading journals and led $1 million NZD in research projects. As Editor-in-Chief of Urbanization, Sustainability, and Society and Co-Leader of APRU’s Future Energy Landscape Cluster, he is a thought leader in urban resilience. Amir also contributes as a consultant, assessor, and speaker for global organizations and governments.

Table of Contents

1. Sustainability and the Construction Context
2. Planning for Construction
3. Design and Design Management
4. The Construction Process
5. Project Delivery
6. Supply Chain and Logistics
7. Operation, Maintenance, and End of Life
8. Waste and Waste Management
9. Life Cycle Assessment and Building Rating Systems
10. Technology in Construction
11. The Living Building
12. Corporate Sustainability and its Assessment, Benchmarking, and Reporting
13. The Stakeholder Perspective
14. The ‘Wicked' Problem of Sustainable Construction in New Zealand

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From the Publisher

Brings together sustainability concepts relevant to the construction industry on both global and local scales.