Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
127 industry evolves and new practices are developed. The method helps identify (1) which sustainability categories are impacted by a construction practice, (2) the relative magnitude of impact, and (3) whether those impacts are confined to construction or extend through the life of the facility. Suggestions for how to procure and contract sustainability. Research for this Guidebook suggests that addressing sustainability as an above-and-beyond concept in procurement and contracting can be inconsistent and/or overly generalized, which can lead to misinterpretation, low impact and unreliable follow-through. The Guidebook provides basic guidance for procurement practices and contracting methods including a template for a sustainability management plan (akin to a quality management plan, but for sustainability) that defines project sustainability goals/objectives, associated sustainability commitments, and key reporting metrics. 9.1.1 Guidebook Organization ï· Section 1: Introduction. Purpose, scope, organization and use of this Guidebook. ï· Section 2: Background. A practical definition of what âsustainabilityâ means for this Guidebook and other information about sustainability. ï· Section 3: Sustainable Highway Construction Practices. A catalog of best practices organized by construction category. ï· Section 4: Using Sustainability as a Criterion to Evaluate Highway Construction Practices. Short procedure for evaluating any proposed construction practice for sustainability. ï· Section 5: Procuring Sustainability. Guidance for how to procure sustainable highway construction practices in typical procurement methods. ï· Section 6: Contracting Sustainability. Guidance for how to include sustainability in construction contracts and specifications. 10 FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS Based on the literature review, survey, interviews and workshop, gaps in current knowledge could be addressed by the following we believe the following sustainability research in the future: 1. Incorporating sustainability into highway construction contracts. Develop processes and contract provisions/language to support sustainable procurement practices, choice of construction means and methods, inspection and quality control and assurance. 2. Analysis of using environmental product declaration as a factor in project procurement. Identify challenges and opportunities in using EPDs to inform project procurement. 3. Life-cycle based evaluation of accelerated construction techniques. Use a systemic life cycle analysis to identify the environmental, and socio-economic costs, and benefits of accelerated design and construction techniques when compared to conventional practices. 4. Systematic assessment of innovations in highway construction methods and materials. Use a life-cycle based framework to assess sustainable construction practices in terms of performance and long-term costs/benefits.
