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Climate Change Mitigation: An Investigation into the Attitudes Within the UK Construction Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Alex Muldoon

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering & Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK)

  • Amit Kant Kaushik

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering & Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK)

  • SeyedReza RazaviAlavi

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering & Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK)

  • Nima Gerami Seresht

    (Department of Engineering, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK)

Abstract

The mitigation of climate change and its adverse consequences is highly urgent. It has produced a global response in the form of the Paris Agreement , which aims to tackle global warming and adapt to it. It has resulted in enacting the Climate Change Act 2008 , setting a target for 2050 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are profound implications for all sectors across the United Kingdom, and this study focuses on the construction industry. This research aims to build on the existing literature, evaluate the attitude of UK construction professionals about the achievability of the goals set, and identify methods for improvement as an industry. This investigation combines qualitative and quantitative methods to gather secondary data from the literature and primary data via a questionnaire. The analysis shows that despite climate legislation, there is a need for more significant action to meet the agreed-upon targets. Also, the construction sector and its professionals need help to achieve the set targets. This need has hampered the confidence to achieve targets within the industry. The recommendations listed in this paper illuminate the path of overcoming these obstacles and give us a way to further research how the industry can evolve and contribute toward climate change mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Muldoon & Amit Kant Kaushik & SeyedReza RazaviAlavi & Nima Gerami Seresht, 2024. "Climate Change Mitigation: An Investigation into the Attitudes Within the UK Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-29, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:22:p:10152-:d:1525543
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Röck, Martin & Saade, Marcella Ruschi Mendes & Balouktsi, Maria & Rasmussen, Freja Nygaard & Birgisdottir, Harpa & Frischknecht, Rolf & Habert, Guillaume & Lützkendorf, Thomas & Passer, Alexander, 2020. "Embodied GHG emissions of buildings – The hidden challenge for effective climate change mitigation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    2. Alice Larkin & Jaise Kuriakose & Maria Sharmina & Kevin Anderson, 2018. "What if negative emission technologies fail at scale? Implications of the Paris Agreement for big emitting nations," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 690-714, July.
    3. Danny Myers, 2005. "A review of construction companies' attitudes to sustainability," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(8), pages 781-785.
    4. Sorrell, Steve, 2003. "Making the link: climate policy and the reform of the UK construction industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(9), pages 865-878, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ehis Lawrence Onus & Ezekiel Chinyio & Emmanuel Itodo Daniel & Michael Gerges, 2025. "Strategies to Redress the Resilience of Residential Buildings Following Climatic Impacts: Perspectives from the UK Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-22, April.

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