Developing a behaviour change intervention to improve the adoption and implementation of sustainable construction practices by stakeholders in the South African construction industry

Date
2020-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While sustainable construction has gained increasing attention internationally, there are still only limited studies thataddress the issue of sustainable construction in South Africa. Furthermore, the adoption and implementation of sustainable solutions in the South African construction industry is not apparent. The objective of this research study isto understand the current behaviour of construction industry stakeholders with respect to sustainable construction practices and to identifyand examinethebarriers and drivers of sustainable construction in the context of South Africa. This isachieved by adopting a theoretical behaviour change approach to develop an intervention strategy for improvingand facilitatingthe shift towards adopting sustainableconstruction practices and principles,thereby reducingthe negative impact of the development of the construction industry on the environment. Athree-phased, explanatory sequential mixed methods research design approach,guided by the Behaviour ChangeWheel(BCW),was adopted in this study. In Phase Oneof the three-phaseprocess to intervention design, an integrative reviewwas conducted,and a descriptive and content analysis of the barriers and drivers of sustainable construction is presented.A total of 37 articles werereviewed, identifying 56 barriers and drivers from the integrative review,and coded against the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation –Behaviour (COM-B) model components andtheTheoretical Domains Framework (TDF)domains. The barriers and drivers include: capability (knowledge, cognitive and interpersonal skills, behavioural regulation); opportunity (environmental context andresources); motivation (reinforcement, social/ professional role and identity, beliefs about consequences). This provided a theoretical basis for developinga survey questionnaire in phase two of theintervention design. Phase Twoincludeda statistical analysis of the relevant barriers to and drivers of sustainable construction that emergedthrough a survey questionnaire distributed to construction industry stakeholders. Phase Three presentsthe three stages of the BCW design and the development of the intervention components for the intervention toolbox.Five intervention functions and 12 behaviour change techniques (BCTs)wereidentified as relevant to include in the intervention toolbox design to improve the engagement of sustainable construction amongst construction industry stakeholders.Semi-structured interviews wereconducted with subject matter expertsinthe construction industry in order to evaluatethe findings from Phase One and Phase Two, assess the intervention content identifiedwhich consists of the intervention functionsand theBCTs,evaluate the intervention componentsand discuss the quality and applicability of the behaviour change interventiontoolbox.This research study provides an understanding and overviewof the use of the BCWto develop abehaviour changeintervention toolboxaimed at facilitating the adoption and implementation of sustainable construction practices amongst construction industry stakeholders. The BCW presentsa useful framework and systematic approach to integrate multiple sources of data to inform the selection of a theory-based behaviour change intervention strategy.Construction industry stakeholders mayuse thesestrategies to design, implement and evaluate sustainable construction interventions that are feasible within the context of the built environmentin South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel volhoubare konstruksie internasionaal toenemend aandag kry, is daar nogsteedsnet ‘nbeperkte aantal studies wat die kwessie van volhoubare konstruksie in die konteks van Suid-Afrika aanspreek. Die aanvaarding en implementering van volhoubare oplossings in die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf is ook nie sigbaarnie. Die doel van hierdie navorsing isom die huidige gedrag van rolspelersin die konstruksiebedryf te verstaanin verband met volhoubare konstruksie praktyke. Verder word diehindernisse en drywers van volhoubare konstruksie ondersoek in die konteks van Suid-Afrika. Dit wordbereik deur 'n teoretiese benadering virgedragsverandering te gebruik om 'n intervensiestrategie te ontwikkel. Die doel van die intervensiestrategie is om dieverskuiwingna die aanvaarding van volhoubare konstruksiepraktyke en -beginsels te fasiliteer en verbeter, sodatdie negatiewe impak van die konstruksiebedryf op die omgewingkan verminderword.Hierdie studie maak gebruik van'n drie-fasige, verduidelikende opeenvolgende gemengde metodesnavorsingsbenadering, gelei deur die gedragsveranderingswiel(GVW). In Fase Eenvan die drie-fasige intervensie-ontwerp,met behulp van 'n integrerende oorsig, was'n beskrywende en inhoudsanalise van die hindernisse en drywers van volhoubare konstruksie uitgevoer. Altesaam was37 artikels hersien en 56 hindernisse en drywers is geïdentifiseer uit die integrerende oorsig en gekodeer teen die Vermoё, Geleentheid, Motivering -Gedrag (VGM-G)-model-komponenteen die Teoretise Domeine Raamwerk (TDR)-domeine. Die hindernisse en drywers het die volgende ingesluit: vermoë (kennis, kognitiewe en interpersoonlike vaardighede, gedragsregulering, fisieke vaardighede); geleentheid (omgewingskonteks en hulpbronne); motivering (versterking, sosiale/professionele rol en identiteit, oortuigings oor gevolge).Die resultatevan die integrerende oorsig wasdaarna opgesom en ontwikkel in die konteks van dieVGM-G-model enTDR,om 'n teoretiese basis te vorm vir die ontwikkeling van 'n vraelysin Fase Twee. In Fase Twee is'n vraelys aan rolspelersin die konstruksiebedryf gestuur en vervolg deur 'n statistiese ontleding van dierelevante hindernisse en drywers van volhoubare konstruksie. Fase drie bied aan diedrie stadia van die ontwerp van die GVWen die ontwikkeling van die intervensiekomponente vir die intervensiestrategie.Vyf intervensiefunksies en 12 gedragsveranderingstegnieke(GVT’e)wasgeïdentifiseer as relevant om in te sluit in die intervensiestrategie om die betrokkenheid van volhoubare konstruksie onder die rolspelers in die konstruksiebedryf te verbeter.Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude wasuitgevoer om die bevindings uit Fase Een en Fase Twee te evalueer, die geïdentifiseerde intervensie-inhoudwat uit die intervensie funksies en GVT’ebestaan te ondersoek,die intervensiekomponente te evalueeren die gehalteen toepaslikheid van die gedragsveranderingsintervensie te bespreek.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Behaviour change intervention, UCTD, Sustainable construction, Construction industry, Behaviour Change Wheel(BCW)
Citation